Senior Center Spotlight – East Limestone

April 8, 2025

Sometimes, it’s the simplest of reasons people have for visiting their local senior center. Take Dan Champion, 83, for example.

“I’m hungry. It’s the middle of the day and I’m here,” Dan said while sitting with a table of friends who couldn’t agree more including Beecher Griffitts, 86, Bill Self, 82, and Hans Riveros, 86.

“It’s all good, some are better than others, but I don’t complain because I don’t have to cook it and the price is right,” Beecher added.

Across the room, Faye Sangerman, 73 and Debbie Collins, 64, have their own card game going. They love the socialization the center offers.

“I don’t want to stay at home all the time,” Debbie said. “I was a substitute teacher for a while and for a while I just wanted to stay at home all the time but then I realized how important is to get out and be around other people.”

Faye said she likes that it’s easy to be at the East Limestone Center.

“I don’t feel like it too structured, it’s very comfortable here,” she added.

At another table, Marianne Montgomery, 70, Sylvia Vann, 69, and David Mobley, 86, are playing Rummikub – with their rules. They don’t keep score so whoever runs out of tiles first wins.

“I like to go when we go out to eat together or go to a movie,” Marianne said. “I like the social activities because I live by myself, and I enjoy the company here.”

David was NASA engineer who worked with Wernher Von Braun and had a career that could be stressful and frustrating, but never boring. In retirement, he says he likes playing the games, but he primarily comes to the center to exercise and “get out of the house for a while.”

Sylvia said she enjoys the social aspects of the center, and especially enjoys the games, as she wins another round of Rummikub.

There’s a fierce dominoes competition at another nearby table where Brooks Hickman, 63 but soon to be 64, Irene Butler, 91, Carla Watson, 68, and Hans are playing.

Brooks said he’s semi-retired and likes to keep himself occupied by visiting the center.

“It keeps you from being depressed,” Carla said.

Irene said she likes having somewhere to go and appreciates the bus because without it, she couldn’t go anywhere since she’s blind and can no longer drive.

And Hans, he’s focused on “winning dominoes,” he says with a laugh.

Laughter can be heard throughout the center as participants enjoy their conversations and competitions.

The quilting room is no exception. The room is a little emptier than normal on Tuesday, April 8, because the team of six quilters just gave 12 of them to Project Linus in Huntsville last week. The Project Linus group provides blankets to mostly kids in need whether it be in the Natal Intensive Care Unit at a hospital, first responders at a disaster, or social workers who know where there’s a need. In return for their donations, the project provides them with materials to make even more quilts.

The quilters say they love their craft and giving them away.

They also made bags to hold school supplies for children in Africa as part of the Malawi Early Literacy Team program.

Today, Elizabeth Tenniswood, 67, and her sister Kay Atwater, 65, and Debi Trumbull, 67, are at work on different projects.

“We could do this at home but there’s something about doing it together and learning from each other,” said Debi said.

“We love the company and the friendship,” Kay added.

Reda Davis has been filling in this month for Center Manager Johnny Smith who is currently on medical leave. The center serves 16 to 19 hot meals each weekday and volunteers deliver another 33 to homebound seniors in the community.

John Lilly and his wife just started volunteering to deliver meals as a way to “give back” to the community following a recent move to the area from Iowa.

Liz Ross also delivers 11 meals each day. She started a year and a half ago with her kids, ages 9 and 6, to teach them the importance of giving back. “And I’ll be old one day and I hope there will be someone who will be there to help me!”

She said they have the same route and have gotten to know the people and “they’re always happy to see us – and us them.”

Sarah Ennis, 79, used to work here part-time assisting with opening up and anything else that needed doing, but retired when she turned 79.

“It’s something to get up and do. I enjoy playing the games and I know everyone here, so I stay until I decide to go home,” Sarah said.

Reda invites anyone interested in learning more about the center to simply stop by and visit at 25820 Nick Davis Road in Athens

Faye Sangerman and Debbie Collins playing cards.

Faye Sangerman

Debbie Collins

Sarah Ennis

Volunteer John Lilly talks with Reda Davis and Sonya Berzett at the East Limestone Senior Center while picking up meals to deliver to homebound seniors.