ARLEY, Ala. – The Arley Senior Center, with the help of the town, has been steadily raising funds with community dinners, auctions and bake sales for years to get their own building. The area seniors currently use the Arley Fire Station to hold their regular meetings.
Center Director Cathy Cooper says that the group is getting close to getting the building for their Arley-Smith Lake Senior Outreach Center, which will be at the old Traders and Farmers bank in Arley located at 6461 County Road 41, though they are still holding fundraisers to fund the renovations. They will be taking down the ceilings and taking out two walls to build two ADA approved bathrooms and a kitchen. The first phase of the project is estimated to cost $75,000.
“The town came together with us. They’re paying part of it. We’re paying part of it, so it’s a joint endeavor,” said Cooper. She recently spoke with Representative Tim Wadsworth who said that the appraisal had been done and now it is only a matter of getting paperwork together.
The senior center is currently open the first and third Mondays at 5:00 p.m. for potlucks at the Arley fire station and the first and third Thursdays at 1:00 p.m. for snacks and games. After the seniors move to the new building when it’s completed, they will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
The center is holding a yard sale, bake sale and car wash major fundraising event on May 7 at the site of the new building from 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Volunteers from the community are coming out to help with the event by selling furniture, household goods, gardening tools, and more for the yard sale. The Meek High School ROBOTIGERS Robotics Team will be working the car wash. The Arley Fire Department will be helping with the bake sale and hosting a cookout, serving hotdogs and hamburgers. Cooper added, “Please support our community’s new place for our senior citizens to enjoy daily when fully opened.” To volunteer to help with the fundraiser call Cathy Cooper at 719-964-4430.
There will be a community dinner fundraiser at the Arley Community Center May 27 from 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The meals will be carry-out only, with one meat, two sides and a dessert for $12. The meat options are chicken dressing, hamburger steak and hotdogs, and the side options are cornbread dressing, sweet potato, loaded potato casserole, corn on the cob, green beans, black eyed peas and turnip greens; as well as various dessert to choose from. Customers can bid in a silent auction of art by local artist Susan Ripp that will be taking place at the same time.
Tax deductible donations for the Arley-Smith Lake Senior Outreach Center can be made at Traditions and BankFirst banks in Arley.
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