Senior center reopens in Columbus after closed for 2 years

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) - The pandemic hasn’t been officially declared over yet - but it seems like each day we get back to normal one step at a time. For Muscogee County seniors, a big step happened this morning when a senior center was reopened.

In March of 2020, the Muscogee County Senior Center closed the doors for what many thought would be a short time.

It was anything but the center was closed for two years and three months.

“It was dull at home... Being at home. Nothing to do. So, coming out here gives us something to do,” said Mattie Daniel, Muscogee County Senior Center patron.

That’s all in the past now, with the center reopening the doors to seniors Friday morning. This will be a major improvement in the lives of community seniors on a number of levels.

“Since the pandemic, our seniors have been isolated, haven’t been back to the centers,” said Amy Bryan, Direct Services for Nutrition, Health and Support. “We finally feel like we’re at a good place where we can control the activity here and be safe and be comfortable and confident so we’re bringing our seniors back to the center.”

For many, it’s the highlight of the day, spending time with friends and socializing at the center. A big party began the new era so everyone could get reacquainted.

“I mean they love it! This is a great outlet for them. This is a way for them to engage socially. For a lot of them, this is the only social engagement they get throughout the week.”

And now that much needed interaction with friends - something that’s been missing for years - has returned.

The Muscogee County Senior Center is across from Spencer High School on the southside.

Direct Services operates the center and four others in the region - serving 16 River Valley counties.

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