When she took the helm as senior services administrator for the city of Oak Harbor in September, Mary Anderson brought with her a vitality that seems to have permeated the Oak Harbor Senior Center.
Co-worker Patricia Gardner, travel coordinator and passport agent at the center, describes Anderson’s energy as “rejuvenating” and “inspirational.”
“She’s wonderful; she’s full of energy and has great ideas,” Gardner said, adding that Anderson’s forward thinking has been a boon to the center in many ways.
Before coming on board at the center, Anderson worked as a volunteer for a variety of community organizations including Big Brothers Big Sisters, the Toddler Learning Center and the Community Health Advisory Board.
She holds a graduate degree in public health, and has an extensive background in chronic disease management, health coaching, program development and program impact evaluation. Her work with older adults has spanned 37 years.
Initially, she said, she chose this line of work because of her desire to work closely with people.
“I enjoy hearing their stories and understanding their lives and their place in the world,” she said. “It comes from wanting to make an impact on the quality of their life and the ability to help them live it as fully as they can.”
It’s this drive to help others lead the most fulfilling lives possible that has lent Anderson several ideas for the future of the center.
“I think what we have going on here at the center is very positive,” she said.
The center currently has approximately 950 members and is operated by three paid staff and over 50 volunteers, who Anderson said are the “lifeblood” of the place.
“It would not be open without them,” she said. “They’re amazing.”
Though the center already boasts a variety of activities and services offered, Anderson said she believes the next step is to broaden that list even further and expand service hours with the goal of appealing more to Baby Boomers, the next generation of older adults.
“Their lives are different, and their needs are different,” Anderson said.
Though many Baby Boomers retire later, they also often aim to have more active retirements than their elders, Anderson said.
New additions will promote “lifelong learning” and may include speakers discussing current topics as well as more computer and tech-focused classes and cooking classes.
Anderson also sees more inter-generational programs in the center’s future, and possible partnerships with schools and community organizations.
However, she stressed these changes won’t come at the expense of the center’s current offerings.
Anderson noted that the biggest challenge is funding, though she has no shortage of ideas to that end either.
The center is backed by the City of Oak Harbor and does much of its own fundraising, but no longer receives money from the county, she explained. In order to fund the expansion of hours and offerings, Anderson said one of her plans is to promote the facility as a space to rent for special events.
Another change Anderson hopes to facilitate is that of the center’s name.
Just as 21st Century language evolves with the addition of new words like “selfie” and “emoji,” Anderson predicts Baby Boomers may push a language shift of their own, one which would minimize the use of the phrase “senior citizen.”
It carries a negative connotation for many older adults, she said, one that is not representative of the vitality of the center and its patrons.
In light of this observation, Anderson plans to change the name of the center with the help of community input.
“The name ‘senior center’ for a lot of people means ‘I’m too old to do anything else, I might as well go hang out at the senior center,’” Anderson said.
“What they don’t realize is it’s a place to be with their peers who are also continuing to enjoy life.”
Kate Daniel: 360-675-6611, ext. 5054; kdaniel@whidbeynewsgroup.com.
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