Marengo Community Center seeking community support

By NICK NARIGON

The board of directors for Marengo Community Center, Inc., are looking for community support to help keep the doors open at the Marengo Senior Dining site.

“We need community support and we need the community to understand what we are about,” said Micky Patterson, secretary of the board of directors.

Horizons, a subsidiary of the Heritage Agency for Aging, provides the meals served at the Marengo Senior Dining site, as well as the salary for the dining site manager.

Marengo Community Center, Inc., was formed to maintain and fund the dining site itself, located at 1083 Court Ave., Marengo.

The Marengo Community Center, Inc., pays for rent at the site, utilities and anything the landlord does not provide.

“Horizons provides service if you have a site. In order for Horizons to continue providing meals for Marengo Senior Dining, we need to be able to provide a site,” said Sam Hunt, president of the Marengo Community Center Board of Directors. “The only way for the senior dining site to stay here is if the community supports us. If we don’t have the dollars and cents, we will close.”

All of the money seniors pay for their meals goes to Horizons, Hunt said. The money is used to pay for the food, not for rent.

Marengo Community Center, Inc., depends on donations for its survival, he said.

Vice president Candi Schmieder noted that Marengo Community Center, Inc., should receive non-profit status within a month, which means any donation to the board, including donations from memorials and trusts, will be tax deductible.

Schmieder said Marengo Community Center, Inc., is independent from the City of Marengo, however, the city does donate $1,000 annually, plus the city reimburses the board for the water and sewer bills.

Last year, the board received a $7,800 grant from the Iowa County Community Foundation Board. However, their application for another grant was denied this year, Schmieder said.

The board also received a $1,000 grant from the Blaine Foundation. The grant money was used to install a new sink in the kitchen.

The community center’s annual budget is estimated to have $9,500 in expenses this year. The board expects to receive approximately $3,100 in revenues, leaving them with a shortfall of approximately $6,400.

“There is such a value to have a place for seniors to go and congregate,” said Schmieder. “This is a community project.”

The board members are looking to undertake several fundraisers this year. They are looking at quilt raffles, soup suppers, ice cream socials and bridge tournaments, among other ideas.

“We are open to suggestions for fundraisers. We want what the people of the town want it to be,” said former board member Mary McCord. “We have to wrap our arms around people and bring them in.”

The Marengo Community Center Inc., does rent out the Marengo Senior Dining site for other activities, such as anniversaries, birthday celebrations, etc. The rent is $50 for an afternoon, plus a refundable deposit of $30.

To rent the facility, contact board treasurer Julie Alexander at (319) 642-3649.

Meetings are held the first Wednesday of the month at 1 p.m. at the Marengo Community Center (senior dining site).

UPDATED September 16, 2009 9:51 AM