Have you heard of the great things happening at the “The Center”? After two years of essentially being closed due to Covid-19, the Board of Directors decided it was time to open up and invite the public to a grand reopening of our beautiful community center. This fall we had a rebirthing of sorts at the Center which included new leadership and vibrant programming geared at breathing new life into our space and our community. We have an exciting vision for the future which is to bring forth a gathering place to learn, to fellowship with friends, and to be nourished – a place that is warm and welcome to all.
Let me give you a brief overview of our Center in case you are unfamiliar. Dorothy Paynter was the founder of our Center in 1976, leaving a vision and seed money to start a community center for seniors. She understood the value of our seniors and their need to continue to live a vibrant life with friends and activities after retirement. The Center serves the townships of Clayton, Alexandria, Orleans, and Cape Vincent. Originally located on Riverside Drive in Clayton, the Center moved to 914 Strawberry Lane in 2002 where it rents a beautiful modern facility from Strawberry Lane, LLC. The Center owns two buses that offer transportation to various outings – shopping, banking, or rides to and from the Center. While we have housing complexes on either side of our facility, we are a separate entity, with a focus on activities, meals, and senior community needs. Since reopening, we have quadrupled our participant numbers and expect to continue growth with this new awareness of all the Center has to offer.
The Paynter Center is a place where friendships are made and nurtured, where activities build our bodies and minds, and where you can come and share a hot cup of coffee with friends. Our mission is to serve our communities, provide a safe place to enrich the lives of area seniors through creative activities, and cultivate a warm and modern environment where seniors can share a meal, tap into their creative sides, and stay physically active. We also offer support groups and are always seeking the newest ideas for activities to keep us vital.
Dorothy Paynter started this Center over 50 years ago and finances have run pretty low at this point. We are working hard to draft grants, develop fundraisers, and build on our programming activities to keep things running for our seniors. Unfortunately, grants will only cover programming (activities or projects) not the daily operations of the facility. The operating funds include heat, lights, rent, as well as the staff needed to keep our programs running and the doors open. Right now, we are reaching out to our local communities, to ask those who can give, to please consider joining us in support of area seniors and our newly vibrant Center.
We have established Friends of Paynter Center as a giving opportunity to provide socialization, fellowship, creativity, and nourishment to the life of a senior. Thank you for considering a financial gift to the Center and helping us keep the Paynter Center vibrant for another 50 years. Please stop in for a tour, meet Sandi, our Activities Director, or join us for a cup of coffee. Come and be a part of a growing organization that offers a safe and enriching destination for the seniors in our community!
Sincerely,
Barbara Morrow
Executive Director