Letter: Yerington senior center

I would like a chance to respond to the recent article in your paper about the Yerington Senior Center's request for additional funds.

1. The center's board president was invited to come before the board on the spur of the moment by one of the officials, otherwise he would have appeared at the appointed time with the proper documentation.

2. The seniors at this center do not want to become a part of the Silver and Gold program because they want to control their center, and they see the strife that the other centers are experiencing. As with their lives, these seniors want to remain independent.

3. The story was in error when it stated that our center is only open during lunch. The center opens at 6:30 a.m. and usually remains open until sometime between 3 and 5 p.m., depending on what events are going on in the center that day.

4. The story stated that Silver and Gold is also involved in other senior programs. Do you even know what we do with and for our seniors? We have a hearing specialist who comes in once a month, we have a senior attorney who also comes in once a month and we have the Social Security representatives who comes in not only to work with the seniors but also any other person who needs her services.

We have cancer screenings for both men and women, we have eye clinics, flu shots, support groups for cancer families and Alzheimers families and we have a gift shop where the seniors can make a little extra money by selling their hand-crafted items. We have barbecues in the park, we go on picnics, tours, sight-seeing trips and we have a birthday celebration every month with a live band and other forms of entertainment.

Maybe if some of these politicians came to the center once in awhile and not just at election time, they might be a little better informed before making a blanket statement that just lends credibility to most folks' opinion of them.

5. Our center will take a senior anywhere he or she needs to go, in town or out of town! We deliver meals to homebound seniors and our driver does a welfare check at each home.

To the Nevada Appeal, I say: Next time get both sides of a story before you print either side.

BONNIE WOODWARD

Yerington