Table Rock Senior Center May Be Closed But Staff Inside Is Busier Than Ever
July 15, 2020

Cindy Hembree
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Table Rock Senior Center has been closed since mid-March for the protection of the elderly citizens in the area. The Stone County Department of Aging and Adult Services (SCDAAS), which also occupies the building, continues to operate. Many of the staff members of this administration have been working tirelessly, despite the pandemic shut down.
According to Lynne Warnke, SCDAAS Board President, since the mandated closing, they have been busy with some major projects and upgrades to the center. Staff members have been like worker bees as they take on the massive task of cleaning the building. Others are freshening up some of the rooms with a new coat of paint as well as tackling other renovation projects. Over 2,000 books have been collected, arranged and alphabetized in a new library section and will be ready to be checked out when the center opens again. There are also 100 puzzles the seniors will be allowed to take out and put together while visiting with one another there.
The SCDAAS has a dry goods program in which boxes of canned and dry commodities are prepared and delivered to the community members on the second Tuesday of each month. Another program has some of the staff members making meals for many of the local senior residents. The meals consist of a variety of meat (beef/chicken/pork), potatoes and gravy, vegetables, milk and several types of desserts so they are nutritious and well-balanced. The frozen meals are brought out to individuals in their cars when they drive up to the door from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every week, Monday through Friday. Volunteers deliver some of these meals to the homes of elderly citizens who are unable come to the center. Warncke joyfully stated, “We deliver 70-90 meals to people in the community every day.” Another group of volunteers within the organization delivers to the Meals on Wheels clients. Meals on Wheels delivers meals on weekly or bi-weekly basis which tallies to approximately 1,100 meals per month.
The Meals on Wheels Program is separate from the SCDAAS Meal Program. The Meals on Wheels Program is specifically for members of the community who are not ambulatory and currently home bound.
If interested in either if these services, call the Senior Center at (417) 739-5242 to check on qualifications or eligibility.
Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Table Rock Senior Center has been closed since mid-March for the protection of the elderly citizens in the area. The Stone County Department of Aging and Adult Services (SCDAAS), which also occupies the building, continues to operate. Many of the staff members of this administration have been working tirelessly, despite the pandemic shut down.
According to Lynne Warnke, SCDAAS Board President, since the mandated closing, they have been busy with some major projects and upgrades to the center. Staff members have been like worker bees as they take on the massive task of cleaning the building. Others are freshening up some of the rooms with a new coat of paint as well as tackling other renovation projects. Over 2,000 books have been collected, arranged and alphabetized in a new library section and will be ready to be checked out when the center opens again. There are also 100 puzzles the seniors will be allowed to take out and put together while visiting with one another there.
The SCDAAS has a dry goods program in which boxes of canned and dry commodities are prepared and delivered to the community members on the second Tuesday of each month. Another program has some of the staff members making meals for many of the local senior residents. The meals consist of a variety of meat (beef/chicken/pork), potatoes and gravy, vegetables, milk and several types of desserts so they are nutritious and well-balanced. The frozen meals are brought out to individuals in their cars when they drive up to the door from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. every week, Monday through Friday. Volunteers deliver some of these meals to the homes of elderly citizens who are unable come to the center. Warncke joyfully stated, “We deliver 70-90 meals to people in the community every day.” Another group of volunteers within the organization delivers to the Meals on Wheels clients. Meals on Wheels delivers meals on weekly or bi-weekly basis which tallies to approximately 1,100 meals per month.
The Meals on Wheels Program is separate from the SCDAAS Meal Program. The Meals on Wheels Program is specifically for members of the community who are not ambulatory and currently home bound.
If interested in either if these services, call the Senior Center at (417) 739-5242 to check on qualifications or eligibility.