Yellow Springs Senior Center Building
This is the Yellow Springs Senior Center. They are a non-profit that aims to “enhance the dignity, independence and quality of life for seniors in the Yellow Springs and Miami Township and to foster interaction among them and with the total community“. They achieve this mission by using such supportive programs as Homemaker Services, Social Programs for group activities, the transportation programs and many more. These programs help seniors get out and interact with the community so they can share their wealth of knowledge and experience. (You can read about more services here at https://www.seniorcitizenscenter.org/)
My job is to be the assistant to the executive director, Karen Wolford, who oversees all of the programs. She stays in constant contact with all of the program managers to make sure each of the programs and services we offer runs as smoothly as possible. She does this by finding grants for funding, creating new services when she sees the need in the community and so much more. As her assistant I get a variety of tasks.
Photo of me at my desk taken by Antioch Alum Lin Wood
Sometimes I do grant research, other days I manage their marketing, or she has me assisting the program managers. I start each day by going to her office and getting my task for the day which she determines by seeing where I am needed the most that day. Sometimes she has me go assist Robert, our transportation program manager, who will have me drive our members to doctors appointments or to the grocery. Other times I am assisting Mary Ann, the Senior Support Services Manager, who gives me such tasks as digitalizing her files. I’m also always helping our seniors with their different types of technology. When a member needs help they come back to my desk and I assist them and show them how to set up and work their phones, tablets, laptops and etc. I also have a class in this once a week where I sit with a group of members and show them how to run a certain piece of electronic.
A photo of my co-workers and I with our valentines from the children at the Yellow Springs Children Center
One of my favorite parts of this center is how much we work with the community and other non-profits around town. Yellow Springs is very special in the way all of the non-profits in town, like the Yellow Springs Community Foundation, try help each other out and work together as much as possible. We often intermingle events with the other non-profits as well. We spend a lot of time with the Yellow Springs Children Center . One year we had a flash mob with the children for senior awareness day. Most holidays we get a visit from the children to the center as well. They come caroling or bring us valentines cards and just brighten everyone’s day. I have engaged with the community on a much more direct level thanks to center and all that they do and I enjoy every minute of working here.
