In advance of its approaching 50th Anniversary, the Indianola Community and Senior Citizens have launched a $200,000 effort to remodel/ construction and to build out the Center’s endowment campaign.

“In April of 1978 a group of interested citizens of Indianola met and discussed the need for a Senior Citizens organization in Indianola and Canadian Shores. For several years the Indianola organization met and provided meals and programs in other nearby facilities. In 1981 downtown Indianola lots were donated by Mrs Ola and Grace Bynum and an initial fund totaling $25,000 was raised for construction. An initial budget for construction and other costs was determined at $35,000” Soon 50 years will have passed since that first group of citizens gathered in 1978. It has been 50 years of providing meals, programs, community and family events of all types.

We now have a “well used” facility, with aging fixtures, non-working appliances, out of health department compliance items and very little financial reserves. The Center operates on an approximate $30,000 annual budget including the generosity of State funds, individual and organization donors, other partners, and events and activities. Very little excess funds are available for facilities upkeep and maintenance.

At the completion of the campaign, it is hoped that we will not only have a completely remodeled facility with new fixtures, appliances, etc. but that we will also have an “Endowment” providing some monies each year for facility upkeep, maintenance, and necessary replacement. (Of course, we will still have our Annual Operating budget income to tend to.)

· Open for Business Monday-Friday 8 a.m.12 p.m. Volunteers deliver meals daily to an average 20 of our area ill and homebound citi-zens. An on-site meal is available at the Center daily at 11:00 a.m.

· Annual programming to include health and nutrition support, vaccinations, insurance, and continuing care plans, etc.

· Community special events to include Ice Cream Social, Evening in Indianola, Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings.

· A vehicle for other Community charitable and philanthropic endeavors.

· A resource to the Community for meetings, family gatherings, reunion etc.

The Center budget each year is approximately $30,000 (Salary, utilities, insurance, food costs, maintenance, etc.) Approximately 50% of the budget is met with an Oklahoma Department of Commerce grant and a couple of other grants from the Town of Indianola and Pittsburg County. The remaining 50% or $15,000 must be raised from donors, organizations, businesses, and events