Senior Center Best Practices

Managers, Directors and Center Personnel

Senior Center Best Practices

Category
Money Making Ideas and Volunteer Projects

Senior Center/Nutrition Program/Organization Name
Connellsville Senior Center

Address
100 East Fayette Connellsville, PA 15425

Phone Number
724-628-1515

E-Mail
plpdir@cvzoom.net

Contact Person
Patricia L. Pritts

Event Name
Flea Market

Description/Overview
This project welcomes household items donated by participants to sell to raise money for the center.

Time and Manpower
A volunteer opens the flea market every morning. She collects items and marks prices and keeps track of the money raised. We have an open public bingo Tuesdays and Thursdays so she will stay until after 1pm when the bingo starts. She also stays when the silver sneakers people have their class. She puts in about 25 hours a week.

Marketing
So far it has just been word of mouth

Audience Served
Anyone who comes into the senior center.

Partnerships Utilized
The seniors who have donated items feel a connection with this project . They are helping by providing a means to increase and add to inventory.

Budget/Costs
There is no cost involved.

Impact On Center
The impact has been significant both on the center and the volunteer in charge. "Ike" (Inez) lived in California, PA until about two years ago. Before she was married she taught 1st and 3rd grade. She lost her husband in 1988 and then helped take care of an ailing brother for about 15 years until he passed away. While Ike was preparing to sell her house she suffered a heart attack. Her family was concerned about her living alone so she came to live with her sister in the Connellsville area. The transition was a difficult one. With some health problems she fell into a depression. After adjusting her medications and feeling stronger she asked her sister if there were any senior citizen centers around. We are happy to report that Ike's participation here at the center has provided her a reason to get up in the morning. She is very happy and gives much credit for her reason to live are the people she has met at the center. She plays shuffleboard, dartball, cards and a game called rimmikub. Ike has been instrumental in starting and implementing the flea market. While she was caring for her brother, they both were involved in doing a flea market / yard sale from his home in Meyersdale as well as from her own home in California, PA. So Ike is well versed in the operation. She has dedicated her time and talent to this activity. So far in only about 6 weeks Ike has raised almost $500! It gives her something to do and allows the seniors to clean out cupboards and closets. A win/win situation for us all.

Good Tips/Other
The only requirement for this project was to dedicate a corner of the center with 2 or 3 tables for the items. There is no cost or overhead.