6 Myths About the Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center

by Russ Alman
​Communications Director, WVSAC

Four generations at lunch! Kay (great grandma), Carla (grandma), Hank (great grandson), Meagan (mom), Zack (dad) and Larry (great granddad) attended our lunch program last summer. The senior center encourages people to bring their families to lunch as part of our multigenerational activities.

The Wenatchee Valley Senior Activity Center has been in our community since the 1980s. However, there are many people that don't even know we exist. Others are aware of us but don't understand what goes on inside our building. Let's dispel 6 common myths we're heard about our senior center.

Myth #1: The Senior Center Is a Rest Home 

Even though our current Maple Street location has been open for over 30 years, one of the most common questions we receive is "how many beds do you have?"

The answer is NONE. We are not a care facility or an assisted living facility. In fact, even our Second Chance Thrift Shop doesn't accept beds, so we can safely say that there are zero beds on our premises.

What are we? We are a community activity center for people age 50 and above. We have activities ranging from book clubs and technology tutoring to aerobics and Zumba. We hold a weekly Bingo that is open to the public. We also run a travel program that takes groups on tours around the globe. One analogy we like to use is that we are like a boys & girls club, but for people over 50. There is a reason we put the word "activity" in our name. Our purpose is to provide active and engaging programs to keep our community young at heart.

Visit our online calendar to see a full list of our activities.

Myth #2: The Senior Center Is Only for 'Old People'

Well, that depends... what do you consider OLD?

The truth is many people in their 50s and 60s don't see themselves as seniors. Because people are living longer, healthier lives than earlier generations, many Baby Boomers and older Gen-Xers don't preceive themselves as "old." And they shouldn't! But that doesn't mean that they can't embrace their age in an active, engaging way. Our youngest members are in their 40s and our oldest members are over 100! Just last week, we helped one of our members celebrate her 101st birthday.

One of the concepts we promote at the senior center is multigenerational programming. Opportunities that allow people of different ages to interact create a more enriching experience that keeps everyone engaged in the community. For example, last summer, we had an entire family come in to enjoy lunch together — four generations! ​

Myth #3: The Thrift Shop Is Only for Seniors

Because our Second Chance Thrift Shop is located in the back of our facility, there is some confusion in the community as to who can shop there. The answer is everyone. The thrift shop is open to the public.

In addition to our paid staff, we have a small army of senior center members who volunteer in the thrift shop to help with everything from donation receiving to staging to retail sales. Also, many of the high-quality donations we receive come from generous seniors in our community. We do accept donations from anyone in the community who wants to support the senior center.

We are fortunate and thankful for the growth and popularity of our thrift shop. In fact, it has grown so much that we need to expand our building so that we can move it into its own space, which will allow us to free up all of our existing rooms for activities and classes.

Myth #4: Our Lunch Program Is Only for Members

While we have many activities that are for members only, we have kept our lunch program open to the public. This program is very important to us because we believe that everyone in our community should be able to afford a hot lunch a few days a week. The lunch program is available Tuesday through Friday. It's also important from a social perspective. Our lunches are served in our social hall, and we host as many as 150 guests. It's a terrific opportunity for people of all ages to enjoy the company of others.

Myth #5: Our Events Are Only for Seniors

While we do have events that are for members only, anyone can become a member of the senior center. We design most of our activities to satisfy the needs and interests of people 50 and older, but we welcome all adults to join and participate. Many of our events are free for members and others require a very small fee.

In addition, we are always in need of volunteers in all areas of our operation. If you have a special talent or skill, or just have a set of muscles you'd like to put to use, we can use your help, even if it's just for a few hours a month.

Myth #6: Memberships Pay for the Senior Center

While we're probably overdue for an increase, our memberships cost just $35 per year for individuals and $55 for couples living in the same household. Even with 2,000 members, our dues only generate about $60,000 in revenue annually. Frankly, that doesn't even cover the cost of producing our monthly newsletter.

The lion's share of our operating capital comes from revenue produced by our thrift shop. The rest of our $1 million+ annual budget comes from commissions from our travel program, as well as grants and donations.

Unlike most senior centers our size, we are not a city or parks and recreation program. We are a privately-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit. We own our property and land free and clear and are 100 percent responsible for our own finances.

If you are looking for a local nonprofit to support, we welcome private donations.