Connectedness for the Ageless Technology: A 55-year historical past of serving seniors, having enjoyable

By Michael Smith

Imagine two highschool seniors with lengthy hair and tie-dyed T-shirts driving skateboards down Washington Street sidewalks within the spring of 1971. A “senior center” was most likely the furthest factor from their 17-year-old minds, and but this yr these carefree teenagers will probably be 72 years outdated.

Like our skate boarders of yesteryear, at this time you’ll be able to come and revel in Sequim’s senior heart. Today we’re in a position to present important companies and enjoyable actions as Shipley Center, as a result of people in our fantastic Sequim neighborhood invested time and treasure and deliberate forward, over half a century in the past.

It was May 27, 1971 when an intrepid group of Sequim pioneers signed the articles of incorporation and named the group the Senior Citizens Center of Sequim. As we’ll see, the group modified their title just a few occasions alongside the way in which, however the place did all of it begin? The Center started life within the basement of the outdated Sequim Presbyterian Church. Many of its first members got here from “The Leisure Hours Club” began by the church within the 1950’s in Sequim.

The first board included English instructor and poet Hart Smith as president, Cecil Miller as secretary/treasurer, and board administrators Everett Lindaas, Rev. Floyd Torrence, Earl Morrell and Rhea Sherman. The first govt director was Bill Cooper.

In 1972 the Center moved from the church to its second location, the outdated 1913 Sequim “Town Hall” constructing east of the outdated fireplace station on Cedar Street. Later, that constructing turned town’s Public Works Department for plenty of years earlier than being bought and moved to 170 W. Bell St., the place it may be seen at this time.

After just a few extra years, in about 1976, the City of Sequim requested the Sequim Senior Citizens, because the group known as themselves, in the event that they’d like to maneuver to a bigger metropolis constructing. Jumping on the probability, the seniors moved just a few doorways down into the wood-framed “Community Center,” previously the Adventist Church, on the nook of Second and Cedar the place at this time’s Transit Center is. This third dwelling for the middle was hire free, however the seniors wanted to boost a bit of cash to pay the utilities every month, and shared the constructing with the City of Sequim. Senior actions needed to finish by 4 p.m. every day, and seniors couldn’t apply it to weekends. The constructing had one most important room for actions and one room for a pool desk, plus a small workplace.

In the late 1970’s the membership, numbering over 100, determined an enlargement/rework was so as, and with town’s permission, significantly improved and expanded their operations into extra elements of the constructing, together with a kitchen, two loos, and extra. The labor was supplied by the women and men of the then-named Sequim Senior Center, all volunteers working along with a lot of the constructing materials donated by Sequim retailers.

Bingo, playing cards, pool, checkers, chess, and different video games had been performed, and there have been sing-alongs, potlucks, and socializing. This labored tremendous till the mid-Nineteen Eighties when the necessity for much more area turned apparent. The group dreamed of a much bigger constructing to carry extra individuals and actions.

In 1987 Sequim Senior Center obtained its official nonprofit standing from the IRS, altering its company title to Sequim Senior Task Force. An odd title, however there was a “task” to be achieved, and so they had been targeted on it. The fast-growing group was dreaming of a house of their very own to purchase or construct, and donors needed to have the ability to deduct their items to the trigger.

In 1989, Executive Director George Woodriff was employed and tasked by the board with discovering a constructing or a constructing web site and most significantly, funds to perform the objective. Fundraisers had been held through the years, together with pancake breakfasts, raffles, rummage gross sales, auctions, automotive washes and “most any other kind of fundraiser” that may very well be considered to present what was then often known as Sequim Senior Center new and bigger digs.

Finally, sufficient cash was raised and bequeathed to the group, and in August 1992 Woodriff succeeded find a big “pole barn” constructing at 921 E. Hammond St. on the market on the proper worth, and organized for its fast buy.

The constructing the middle is in at this time was initially constructed and owned by native Sequim dairy farmers Willie and Florence Belfield. Shipley Center member Mary Bell tells us that Willie had constructed the barn to retailer building supplies, vehicles, and tools. Later, once they constructed the housing growth on Blair and Belfield Avenues, south of the Center, Willie and his enterprise accomplice used the constructing as building headquarters and named their new neighborhood Flora’s Acres in honor of his spouse.

The handle 921 E Hammond has seen many different makes use of through the years, and has been owned by two totally different mayors of Sequim. The Belfields bought to former Sequim mayor Bill Thomas and his spouse Carol, who turned the constructing right into a well being membership, with racquetball courts. The Thomases later bought it to Sequim Mayor Ed Beggs and his spouse Dorothea, who had been Senior Center members. The couple created an antiques mall, with distributors promoting their wares all through. On the sale to Sequim Senior Center in 1992, it was stated that the constructing had “found its true calling.”

Renovation of the outdated pole barn began immediately, with Woodriff and 100 senior volunteers including partitions, renovating restrooms, hanging drywall, portray, putting in lighting fixtures, flooring, and extra. Some volunteers had constructing expertise and taught the novices what to do. There was nice delight within the 1,350 senior members lastly proudly owning their very own “home” that they moved into in January 1993.

Shortly afterwards, the brand new “Trips Department” was created and cash was raised for a bus for seniors to take pleasure in journeys throughout Western Washington.

More members, extra space

Almost precisely 10 years after the acquisition of 921 E. Hammond, on August 27, 2002, Sequim’s indomitable seniors broke floor on a 3,885 sq. foot addition to their digs. Three sides of the constructing had been added onto, creating a bigger most important room, a brightly lit artwork room, a pc classroom, a multi-purpose classroom, a well being companies room, storage areas, new restrooms, a Café eating room, a director’s workplace and a brand new front-desk foyer.

Generous donors and volunteer staff had a imaginative and prescient and made it occur, nevertheless it got here with a price; a 20-year financial institution mortgage. In 2013, the members of Sequim Senior Activity Center, inspired by longtime member and volunteer Judy Priest, resolved to get their Center out of debt. A profitable $135,000 “Burn the Mortgage!” marketing campaign was accomplished in about 100 days, and the Center has not carried any debt since.

In 2005 the authorized title of the nonprofit company was modified to its present title, Sequim Senior Services, and proper after that yours really was employed as the brand new govt director. In 2007, it started “doing business as” Sequim Senior Activity Center. Today, the “doing business as” title is Shipley Center, in honor of longtime member and benefactor extraordinaire R. Leo Shipley. (More about Leo’s story and his influence on Sequim and the Center that bears his title in a future column.)

Those teen skate boarders from 1971 are nonetheless having enjoyable at this time at Shipley Center — not targeted on age, however on life and dwelling it to the fullest. As we transfer ahead with our present challenge, the re-purposing of the previous JCPenney to be Shipley Center’s new dwelling, please be part of us. Today’s seniors and tomorrow’s, thanks.