Our view: It's time to support Golden Hour Senior Center

Golden Hour Senior Center offers a lot of good to Green River.

Many may only be aware of the center through the baked goods it sells during the Green River Farmers Market or as the place grandma and grandpa go to have lunch and socialize with their friends. In truth, it’s a bit more important than that.

While Golden Hour does offer a chance for seniors to socialize and enjoy a hot lunch or a game of Wii Bowling, the fact of the matter is the center is a lifeline to a lot of seniors who wouldn’t get out as much otherwise.

Programs offered through the center allow them to maintain meaningful and independent lives in their own home. The center has provided aid to seniors through a multitude of initiatives such as the Meals on Wheel program, which delivers hot meals to house-bound seniors. That visit not only provides a meal, but in some cases is the only contact the senior will receive throughout the day. It also functions as a means to check up on the person to ensure they’re doing well and not in need of assistance.

Yet, further cuts are almost inevitable. The county will continue dealing with a downturn in revenue as the state will and services like those provided by Golden Hour Senior Center will be threatened. According to Jackie Grubb, executive director of the center, she has already been forced to drop one position and further cuts would likely impact services and operating hours. Cuts to services like these won’t result in saving like legislators may hope -- some seniors may have to go into care facilities without some of these programs and at a larger cost to programs like Medicare.

It’s time to step up and support Golden Hour.

Yes, donating at the center’s drive-through fundraiser Friday will help the center immediately, but the only way to really help it is to pressure state legislators into finding alternate ways of saving money and creating new revenue streams for the state. Residents with an interest in supporting the center should also question candidates for legislative office about how the state should approach the budget shortfalls and how it can continue support for seniors -- then vote accordingly.

The budgetary situation is difficult for everyone involved, but we think it’s possible to ensure seniors continue to receive the services and programs offered to them through places like Golden Hour Senior Center.