Our History
A Brief History of Specialized Senior Services
In Washington County
In the beginning…
In the late 1960’s, as the senior population of Marietta and its need
for senior activities and services grew, a group that called itself the
“The Golden Age Club” (eventually called “The Marietta Club”) began
meeting regularly for social activities. At first the group met at
several different sites without formal ties. As its membership
increased, the group outgrew these facilities and asked the city
government to provide space for meetings and special events. The city
offered three rooms in the basement of the city building and most of
the group’s activities, largely social in nature, centered there. This
was the only identifiable senior group in Marietta itself, although
groups had organized in other parts of Washington County.
As interest in seniors and their needs came into focus, agencies were created on both the state and national levels. The Area Agency on Aging which covered eight counties and the State Commission on Aging were active in Marietta.
Growing up
In 1974 the City of
Marietta began Sen-I-Tran (Senior Information and Transportation) as an
information, referral and transportation agency. Already involved in
providing increasing services to seniors, the city took advantage of
available grants and, with the Area Agency on Aging, purchased land at
the corner of Fourth and Scammel Streets to build a facility to serve
the county’s senior residents.
Ground breaking for the center took place in August of 1980 and the C. William O’Neill Senior Center was dedicated in July of 1981. The funds for the construction of the Senior Center came from Community Development Block Grant ($450,000), Ohio State Law –a special grant fund for the building or renovation of multipurpose senior centers called HB 1084 ($150,000), and Title III of the Older American’s Act ($85,295.25). These funding sources required the City of Marietta to sign assurances that the facility would be used as a multi-purpose senior center for a period of not less than 20 years.
A place to call home
The
Center began operation in 1981 under the direction of the City
Recreation Department. Staffed by two employees the center offered
information & referral, supportive services, education, health
assessments, and limited in-home and transportation programs.
Also housed within the facility were two complimentary agencies – Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and a senior meals program operated by the Community Action Agency. The “Marietta Club” used the new facility as their meeting-place, but was not involved in its general operation. Although operated by the City of Marietta, by law, the Center served the entire county. After several years of operation it was decided that an independent non-profit group might better operate the Center.
New leadership – continued partnerships
In 1986 a private, non-profit corporation was formed and became
recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable
organization. A fifteen-member board of trustees was selected from
citizens throughout the county and the non-profit began operating the
Center in January of 1987 as “O’Neill Senior Center, Inc.” Since that
time, the O’Neill board of trustees has leased the building from the
City of Marietta and subleased space to the two other independent
agencies.
Funding flexibility
Many new funding opportunities were available to the new O’Neill Senior
Center, Inc. Public bingo which began in February 1987 proved to be
tremendously successful in the early years and allowed the organization
to expand its services, add staff, and maintain and improve the
facility.
In 1989 a grant (HB 1084) of $205,000 was awarded for construction of an addition to the senior center to operate an adult day services program. O’Neill conducted a capital campaign and was successful in raising over $100,000 to furnish the newly constructed addition. The Adult Day program began operating in January 1991 and has become a highly regarded and much used service.
With revenues from traditional sources steadily declining and needs increasing, in 2001 the O’Neill Center approached the County Commission about placing a senior levy on the ballot and spearheaded the successful campaign. The levy has allowed the O’Neill Senior Center to develop needed services such as chore and prescription assistance and to continue and enhance its many other services.
O’Neill today - an important part of the continuum
The O'Neill Senior Center has developed into a dynamic focal point for
Washington County residents aged 60 and over. The Center has served
thousands of older adults providing many vitally important services
such as Medical Transportation, Homemaking Assistance, and Adult Day
Services, Alzheimer’s Respite, Chore, and Prescription Assistance.
Seniors enjoy other opportunities at the Center through participation
in social activities, exercise programs, health education, preventative
health screenings, caregiver support programs, general information and
referral and events covering current social issues.
Seven handicap accessible vans comprise O’Neill’s fleet and are used daily to transport seniors to medical appointments, clinics, treatment centers and adult day care. In-home services are provided by certified aids supervised by a licensed practical nurse. The adult day services program employs a nurse, manager, certified nursing assistants, and a certified activity director. Although the Center currently employs 34 staff members, volunteers also play important roles providing assistance in many areas. Through informal and formal collaborations with other organizations the Center has been able to expand its offerings and has attracted seniors of all ages and socioeconomic groups.
The future…
The board of trustees of
O’Neill Senior Center has taken a proactive approach to meeting current
and future challenges. A special endowment fund was established by the
board to ensure the future financial viability of the organization. The
fund is managed by the Marietta Community Foundation.