Fight continues to reopen Adelphi senior center

CHILLICOTHE — Some senior citizens in Adelphi are questioning why support has not been given to the Adelphi Center despite extra money obtained by the Ross County Senior Center thanks to the Ross County Commissioners.

The Adelphi building was closed during the pandemic and has yet to reopen under the Ross County Committee for the Elderly, however, community members have been working to provide monthly gatherings for seniors.

Elizabeth Spears, who supports the gatherings in Adelphi, met with commissioners recently telling them it has been hard to get information from the senior center including meeting dates, notes and information surrounding the senior center board.

Read more: Community requests senior center in Adelphi to return after pandemic

She also mentioned that the Adelphi Center was a great place for seniors to gather and take part in vital socialization.

Previous reporting on the Ross County Senior Center showed the Adelphi site was closed due to budgeting. Since 2020 the Ross County Senior Citizens' Levy has generated over $1 million per year with the trend expected to stay the same in 2024.

"It just doesn't seem like the rural dollars are trickling down to the rural people," said Spears.

Last year Ross County Commissioners applied for and received a grant for over $330,000 which was given to the Ross County Committee for the Elderly. Commissioner Dwight Garrett said during the meeting he was disappointed that the money did not go toward what they hoped it would as they want to help seniors all across the county, not just the ones in Chillicothe. However, they have no control over how the money is specifically used after it is given to the center.

According to the May senior center newsletter, the center received the money in February and is doing its "best to help serve more seniors in Ross County in several ways." The grant came with specific areas where percentages of the money must be spent such as food assistance, housing assistance, internet access and digital literacy.

At the end of March over $67,000 had been spent from the funding, and the center has until September to use the rest of the money. So far the grant has helped serve 40 home-delivered meal clients who were on the waiting list, purchase 35 iPads to help with internet literacy and brought in an occupational therapist for service training. The center has also partnered with the Area Agency on Aging to manage $75,000 of the funding to help make local homes handicap accessible.

Jodi Hougland, RCCE Executive Director, said the board has met several times to discuss the closing of the Adelphi center and that they "stand firm on their decision." She also noted that the grant is a one-time thing and the money will not be available again once it is spent.

Shelby Reeves is a reporter for the Chillicothe Gazette. You can email her at SReeves@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter @Shelby_Reeves_

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: Local Senior Center still claims budget for closing of Adelphi Center