by Geoff Fox
Seeing a need by the senior community of Hancock, Jean Squires, Pastor at Hancock United Methodist Church as well as other churches in the Hancock area, came to the November town meeting as a member of the Greater Hancock Council of Churches to address the fact that Hancock Senior Center has been closed recently.
Squires said she knows Town Manager Mike Faith has spoken with Pastor Becki Wessinger, also of the Hancock United Methodist Church, about the closed facility, but she also has some concerns as well.
“Our seniors in the community have no place to go, and it’s not about being fed, it’s about having some social time,” Squires said. “I know you’re working with us on that and we appreciate that very much.”
Faith said the senior center has been closed due to an employee retiring and the county having issues trying to find a replacement.
He added Wessinger reached out to him with what the church could do to help.
“I figure if they want to help, provide some leadership or activities or whatever, then absolutely,” Faith said.
The only problem though, Squires pointed out, was the senior center facility was funded with state money and state run. There are facility parameters in place because the site is considered a “nutrition center” instead of an activity center.
There are residents and community people who would rather it be an activity center, Squires said.
There was to be a meeting between Hancock Methodist Church officials and a few senior residents to discuss how the church can better serve them and what their needs are to make the site an activity center.
“We don’t want to compete with the state organization, but they’re very, very restrictive in their facility here,” Squires said.
She said activity supplies have been locked up and attendees can’ t bring their own food or drinks.
Faith said the room in which the senior nutrition center is situated belongs to the Town of Hancock and is used rent-free. The room is on the east end of Town Hall.
Squires said the Hancock United Methodist Church believes it can help, but the state requires one of their employees be on hand and there’ s a lot of restrictions, which Faith said could be due to insurance issues.
Faith said he thinks the town’ s umbrella insurance policy would cover the Senior Center since it’s on town property.
Faith told town officials that if there are senior town residents who want to use the facility, it’s on the town to find a solution.
Councilman David Kerns said his only concern was if it were a state-run agency, then it’ s their obligation to provide someone to run the facility.
“If they’re not going to do that, then as far as I’m concerned, I don’t have to hold anything up for them if they’re not going to do their part,” he said. “If we got people that can help and do it ourselves, we can do it ourselves.”
Squires said the church would like to be part of that partnership.
