Clay County Senior Center Has Reopened

The Clay County Senior Center has reopened after being closed for about a year under COVID guidelines.

The decision came after the center’s board and county officials were encouraged by decreasing COVID numbers. Director Sandra Wix said when the doors opened, members were anxious to return.

“It has been great,” Wix said. “We are a small center. We are not like a huge center. Our average attendance like on our first day back, we had about 25 meals served, and probably a total of maybe 40 people that attended.”

Wix said many members have struggled with loneliness over the past year, so reopening was an easy choice, especially with the majority of the members being vaccinated. Wix said the center is starting out slow with limited activities such as bingo and cards.

“My seniors were staying home for almost a year now,” Wix said. “They were getting lonely and sometimes they get more depressed, because they can not be out with their friends that they are normally with on a daily basis.”

Wix said masks are not being enforced at the location, but almost all members wear them voluntarily. Proof of Covid vaccination is also not required. Wix said the remaining of guidelines are based on the CDC.

“We also have a My Pledge to follow the senior center regulations,” Wix said. “They read it before they signed it, and it is just a pledge saying I am going to follow these rules and guidelines that have been set in place.”

Wix said fundraising efforts have been put off for now to focus on health and safety.