Robin is standing beside the new oven.
The Big Sandy Senior Center purchased a new oven with the help of a $10,000 grant. The grant also helped with the purchase of several additional items that were in need of replacement and upgrade.
I spoke with Brenda Darlington, who is the board chair and oversees operations at the center. "We got a grant from Vitalogy, and it helped us purchase a new oven, which we desperately needed. We just got that in on Friday, and we love it." Brenda explained that the replacement was necessary because the old oven was in poor condition. "There were long springs that kept the oven door closed. Both the springs in the oven door broke. We replaced one and the other one we couldn't replace. We just held it closed with a stool. Then the brackets for the racks were broken. So the racks always kind of sat at a slant." In addition, she explained that, "The grill would stay really really hot. You could fry an egg on it. We could never regulate the temperature on it. That was awful."
The replacement oven and range is a Garland 6 burner range with 2 ovens. It also has a grill and a broiler. Brenda remarked that Robin, the Senior Center's cook, has found the broiler to be a particularly excellent upgrade.
When they received the grant, Brenda began looking at ovens and found that they landed a little outside off their budget. "I think the oven, when we first started looking, was well over $10,000." Because the larger upgrade was not in their budget, the center began to use the available funds to pick up other items that the center was in need of. "Then we bought a new bun coffee machine and another coffee pot and a few other things, like a big mixer, a can opener that we desperately needed, spoons, more supplies like our takeout supplies. We got boxes of takeout supplies, because sometimes we do 25 takeouts every day, depending upon the meal. I do at least five deliveries a day, at least. I bought that other stuff and the oven was $10,170 or something like that." After acquiring less expensive replacements, Brenda began researching less expensive options for oven replacements. When she did, she discovered that "it had come down to $7,000."
The Vitalogy Foundation, which awarded the grant that made it possible to purchase the upgrade, is an organization associated with Jeff Ament, a Big Sandy native of Pearl Jam fame. The Vitalogy link on the Pearl Jam homepage describes the foundation. "Vitalogy Foundation is a 501c3 organization founded by Pearl Jam to translate the ethos of their music into tangible positive impacts. To maximize its effect, Vitalogy works as both an advocate and a donor. Vitalogy elevates the voices of overlooked groups and seeks opportunities to support approaches that value people's minds, bodies, and souls." Brenda spoke glowingly of the support and the work of Jeff Ament in our community.
Since reopening a little less than a year ago, traffic has grown to around 30 people a day for meals. Eventually, Brenda hopes to grow the daily patronage to 40 visitors a day. They also offer a coffee and visitation time every weekday morning, which has grown steadily over the past year to between 10 and 20 visitors every morning. They offer a blood pressure clinic monthly, Pinochle games Thursday afternoons at 1:30, and a Bible Study group on Fridays. In the coming months, they are looking to repaint the center, with the help of the Big Sandy Rotary club. The goal is to spruce up the place and decorate/furnish the center to make it more homey and inviting.
