Agency On Aging Celebrates 45 Years In Oskaloosa
It was a party as the Mahaska County Agency on Aging celebrated 45 years of service this past week.
Oskaloosa, Iowa – There was live music and giveaways, along with food and beverages, as the Mahaska County Agency on Aging celebrated 45 years of serving the senior population of Oskaloosa, Mahaska County and beyond.
The program, which seems to trace its initial roots to a conversation at church one day, became the first congregational meal site in the State of Iowa. Those familiar with the program say that everyone involved in getting the program started back in 1973 is now gone.
Those first days, congregate meals were held at the Downing Hotel and by 1977 the program had purchased the old Nichols Cafe along High Avenue West.
In order for the mall to be constructed in 1985, the Nichols Cafe building came down and the group built along B Avenue West, near Norwich and Inglenook Apartments. They made nearly 17,000 meals that year.
In 2005, the group had an opportunity to acquire the old Grant Elementary School, moving into the remodeled facility in 2009. The group was serving 250 clients, including the Meals on Wheels routes around Mahaska County.
In just a few years after the move, the center was serving over 400 clients and serving nearly 76,000 meals.
A board member was quoted at a recent Mahaska County Board of Supervisors as saying, “Since 1973, our mission has been to serve those who have made the community what it is today, by vowing to provide senior citizens a source of balanced nutrition and to promote their well-being.”
Another of those board members is Mark Groenendyk, who was appointed shortly after taking office nearly two years ago.
Groenendyk spoke about the program and its history. “It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of effort from contribution time by people.”
“It’s growing,” said Groenendyk of the agency which started locally, but now serves multiple locations in at least two counties.
Getting to experience the agency was new for Groenendyk when he joined the board. “Yeah, it was good. It’s exciting.”
Learning what the agency does and how it’s done has been interesting for Groenendyk. “It’s exciting to see everybody come together for the goal of serving meals.”
Along with those meals comes an opportunity to help keep people in their homes longer explained Groenendyk. “This is a good place to break up the monotony of a person’s day. Come have a chance to fellowship, talk, do some things.”
