In June 2020, AFS purchased the former Keyser Pizza Hut property on Rt. 220 South, Keyser, WV. This site will become the Keyser Senior Center’s future home, replacing the existing center at 30 South Church Street, Keyser, WV. Generous gifts, including a bequest of $281,700 from Carl Saville, enabled AFS to acquire the property. Renovation of the new facility has begun by the winning bidder, C & M Construction and Renovations, LLC, and is expected to be completed in the summer of 2022.
The Keyser Senior Center already meets a vital need, providing complete senior nutritional and health services that promote extended, more productive, and independent lives. The planned new facility will support efforts to provide this broad range of programs and services in the face of the booming and aging community needs. By incorporating this new senior center location, AFS can serve a larger population, create better and safer access, improve current services, expand new services, and increase outreach to the target population of senior citizens. Additionally, the recent growth in congregate and Meals on Wheels home-delivered meals and special events such as our Senior Olympics, open to all W.V. counties, has shown that our current facility is not adequate to house a meals program. A new senior center with a larger kitchen will help us better provide for the seniors of Mineral County, increasing their emotional, social, and physical wellbeing. Acquiring the necessary funds for a well-equipped industrial-size kitchen is vital for future meal services to the community’s senior citizens. AFS’ board of directors building subcommittee will administer and oversee the awarded grant, ensuring funds are expended appropriately. Bids were received on July 13th and the total cost for the entire building renovation is $956,799. AFS’ Keyser Senior Center renovation project promotes the purpose of enhancing the community through “bricks and mortar” endeavors by improving our senior citizens’ infrastructure and services for today and future generations. Today, seniors stay active and healthy longer thanks to improvements in health care and more available information. This causes seniors to remain independent longer, which is excellent, but it also means they frequently spend more time by themselves. Senior citizen centers can provide a supportive community while allowing them to stay independent.
It is a common misconception that senior citizen centers are only for those who need special care. These community centers provide so much more than that, from social and recreational activities to health and wellness programs, and even employment assistance. Additionally, senior centers’ intergenerational programs are a beautiful way to ease their transition and assist with life changes. Programs allow seniors to interact with younger generations, passing on their wisdom and insight to their young friends while improving their own mental and physical health.
The new Keyser Senior Center will not only allow AFS to improve the quality of existing services and programming but will enable us to expand our ability to engage all of Mineral County’s seniors and seniors from several West Virginia counties during our week-long Senior Olympics. This population will benefit as a result of expanded services. As baby boomers transition to “senior” status, AFS will involve this new generation of senior adults, redefining seniors’ role and nature in our community. Once a part of the AFS family – should one’s situation require greater levels of service – they will already be comfortable and familiar with the organization best suited to meet their challenging needs.
We are looking to the community for support. Gifts over $25,000, including naming rights. Please contact our agency for more information or to receive a detailed brochure.Keyser Senior Center Project
LEVELS OF GIVING:
Breakfast club – $1,000 – $4,999
Coffee club – $5,000 – $9,999
Brunch club – $10,000 – $24,999
Lunch club – $25,000 – $49,999*
*starting at this level we will have naming rights for spaces and rooms in the new building.
Tea club – $50,000 – $99,999
Supper club – $100,000 – $249,999
Dinner club (Carl Saville level) – $250,000
+Cumulative gifts considered for above levels
