Courtesy Moreau Community Center
By Rod Bacon
Since 1977, the Moreau Community Center has been assisting those in the tri-county area who need a bit of help in their lives.
Established in the former Methodist church on Main Street in South Glens Falls, the center offers an extensive menu of activities and support services.
“In the beginning the center did not do all the things that we do now,” said Executive Director Donna Nichols, who took over that position in 2010. “They primarily ran a pre-school, Meals On Wheels, and a senior program.”
Nichols has extensive experience with non-profit organizations, having spent 26 years with Community, Work & Independence, Inc. (CWI) in Glens Falls.
Today the center offers 19 programs and services aimed at enhancing the lives of everyone from youngsters to senior citizens.
One of the more important offerings at this time of year is the Holiday Caring Program. Thanksgiving and Christmas meals and children’s gifts are provided to hundreds of income-eligible South Glens Falls residents. As is the case with many of the center’s programs, financial and “adopt-a-family” donors are welcome to contribute, as are volunteers to administer it.
“We had about 70 families that we provided a meal for at Thanksgiving and we will be doing the same thing for Christmas,” said Nichols. “People who adopt a family will buy gifts for the kids so not only does the family get a meal the kids get presents. We give all this out on December twentieth.”
Nichols noted that the center has “a small army” of volunteers, without whom it could not operate successfully.
“We do a volunteer appreciation event every year, usually in June, and last year we had 110 volunteers attend,” she said.
Volunteers perform a plethora of tasks to help keep the center functioning. They might fold newsletters, act as greeters at the front desk, work in the thrift store, oversee the bingo fund-raiser that takes place every week, or help pack backpacks for the weekend backpack program.
“You name it, they come in and help us get it done,” Nichols said. “There’s not a non-profit worth its salt that can do without dedicated volunteers, and we have some of the best.”
While volunteers perform valuable functions, the staffers run, among other things, Kids’ Korner and the eight-week summer camp.
Kids’ Korner operates at all South Glens Falls elementary schools, providing a safe and affordable before- and after-school program. The trained instructors encourage the children in their care to have fun, make friends, grow skills, and learn something new.
Camp Moreau is an eight-week summer day-camp for youngsters ages 5-12. Campers are taken on field trips, encouraged to exercise and play, and learn about self-defense, nutrition and team building. There is a charge to attend but scholarships are available because the staff believes every child should have the opportunity to go to camp so they work to make sure that cost doesn’t prevent a child from attending.
Also at the lower end of the age spectrum is the Bulldog Zone Teen Center, a space where middle and high school students from South Glens Falls CSD can gather in a safe environment. They can play, study, or just hang out with each other. On Tuesdays from after school until 7 p.m. there are planned activities.
Getting proper nutrition can be a problem for some people and the center has several services to address that issue.
Every Monday and Wednesday through a partnership with the South Glens Falls Hannaford Supermarket the center provides produce, deli, bakery and meat items to all tri-county residents who need a little “hand up.”
“Hannaford partners with us through the regional food bank,” Nichols explained. “We pick up food that they’ve taken off their shelves but is still fresh. We bring it back to the center, sort it and do a menu so folks can avail themselves of the food. It’s a nice balance to our food pantry, which is more shelf-stable.”
The Gather & Dine program is very popular with senior citizens who would prefer not to eat alone. Hosted by the center, it is held at the Saratoga County Office for the Aging site. Mazzone Catering in Clifton Park provides the food.
“People can come in and dine in-house every day, Monday through Friday, and have a nice hot healthy lunch and it only costs them two dollars,” Nichols said.
There is also the option, through Meals on Wheels, to have a well balanced meal delivered to the homes of senior citizens.
Providing healthy meals isn’t the only service provided to older area residents. The Social and Recreational Program offers bingo, mahjong, crafting, rug making, billiards, and visits from the Crandall Mobile Library. Or people can simply visit, read the paper, use a computer, or enjoy coffee with a friend. The slate of activities varies throughout the year.
Adults may also take advantage of the Senior and Community Trips program. Visits to museums, shows, historic sites and waterfronts have proven very popular.
Committed to promoting wellness and healthy living, the center offers an Educational and Wellness Program that addresses the needs and interests of attendees as they might vary throughout the year.
As a complement to the wellness program there is a Walking Club that meets each Thursday morning. The walk starts at Cooper’s Cave Park in South Glens Falls and follows the Betar Byway.
For disabled and 55-plus residents of South Glens Falls and Moreau who need a ride to their appointments there is the Dial-A-Bus option. Transportation to the center is required but the bus will take people to medical appointments, social and recreational events, and daily errands. This year, through a grant, the center was able to purchase a new bus.
For more information about the programs and services available at the Moreau Community Center go to moreaucommunitycenter.org.