Facebook
X
Pinterest
Copy Link
Rainbow Bingo hosted by Miss Sylvia O’Stayformore!
I am excited to have joined the Board of the Southeast Seattle Senior Center (SESSC), serving seniors in the heart of the Rainier Valley for more than 50 years.
The non-profit senior center, formerly known as Lee House, was founded in 1961. The senior center has been housed at our current location on Holly Street since 1986.
From the beginning, Lee House programs emphasized a multi-service approach to seniors living independently. This approach continues today, offering a good variety of programs and services to meet the needs of the community and hosting fun and meaningful events where the community can meet.
I have worked professionally with seniors as an Activities Therapist in New York City and as a Community Artist, in the United Kingdom, and I know how rewarding it is to engage with folks who have a much greater depth of experience than my own.
This is a great neighborhood activity center that addresses the social, educational, and health needs of aging adults and the community at large, and it needs all the help it can get. Unfortunately, funding from United Way of King County has been cut and the center has been forced to raise a lot of money just to keep going.
More than 600 seniors living on Beacon Hill, Skyway, Rainier Valley, Renton and the Central Area are active participants at the Center where the activities are designed to include all physical stages of aging such as exercise programs, computer classes, weaving and quilting classes, card clubs, line dance classes, Spanish classes, recreational trips, and much more.
When I toured SESSC, I was amazed at how vibrant the center is. There are classes in self-defense, adaptive yoga, and even a class called “Aging IS A Laughing Matter,” plus Rainbow Bingo hosted by Miss Sylvia O’Stayformore, a hilarious, bodacious evening just for adults.
This place is run by a small dedicated staff, including a social worker and lots of volunteers. There is also a Community Dining program, which provides a hot, healthy meal to about 300 seniors each week, and in the past year there have been 15,000 visits by seniors to the center. The Community Dining program serves lunch five days a week and provides an opportunity to reduce isolation for seniors in our community.
In a society where family members tend be dispersed, many seniors live alone and are isolated, and the center provides a great space for seniors to meet, and get involved in all sorts of activities, plus get help when they need it, have fun and make friendships, as staying connected is what it is all about!
We really need to advocate for our seniors, as let’s face it…that will be us one day! You can make donations on the Center’s website at www.sessc.org and schedule tours with Lynda Greene, Executive Director.
The Southeast Seattle Senior center is located at 4655 South Holly Street in the heart of the Rainier Valley. Photos/SESSC
