Christina WeberA rousing game of cards. A chair yoga class. An educational workshop. A hot meal with friends. These are just some of the activities and resources that can be found at local senior centers. Following the isolation of this last year and a half, now more than ever, older adults are seeking the kind of meaningful activities and social connections that can be found at these senior centers and the vital support and community that they offer.
For several years, Messiah Lifeways has had an ongoing partnership with Cumberland County and the Mechanicsburg Borough to sponsor Mechanicsburg Place: A Senior Center and More. This partnership has given Messiah Lifeways an opportunity to extend its mission and exercise its core value of collaboration to impact the lives of older adults in the greater capital region with life-enriching services and programs. During this post-lockdown season we have heard from many Mechanicsburg Place members how vital the senior center is in their lives, and how much they enjoy the hot meals served daily and truly need the sense of community they experience when they participate in the programming taking place. This sense of community is something that many of us have learned not to take for granted during the isolating times of the past year.
So when we were invited by Cumberland County to sponsor another senior center, this time with New Cumberland Borough, we were honored and excited for the opportunity to collaborate again and extend our mission even further into the community. We are thrilled to be the new sponsors of West Shore Senior Center, as of July 1, 2021!
At Messiah Lifeways, we recognize that we are called to reach beyond the walls of our Messiah Lifeways at Messiah Village campus and impact the lives of older adults who may not choose to move to this residential setting. For example, we have been offering Community Support Services such as home care and Adult Day for many years with the goal of providing the same trusted care that can be found at Messiah Village to those in the broader community who choose to stay in their own homes.
In addition, you’ll notice that we refer to the senior centers as “a ministry of Messiah Lifeways.” As a faith-based, non-profit organization, we also look for opportunities to invest in the community that align with our mission to responsibly enhance the lives of older adults with Christ-like love, even if they don’t produce financial gain. Our hope is that those who visit the senior centers will see our mission lived out each day in their interactions with our team and in the programming that’s offered.
It did not take many visits to the West Shore Senior Center to understand what a special and vibrant place it is, filled with members who value their community and enjoy being part of each other’s lives. Messiah Lifeways is privileged to become part of this special community, and we look forward to the ways we can impact this exciting place, and help more older adults enrich their lives for years to come.
A ribbon cutting will be held on August 24 - click here to view the press release.
