Clients of the Union County Senior Center learned last week that their beloved director, Lee Davis, would be resigning from her position. This Friday, March 21, will serve as Davis’ last day.
Regarding her impending resignation, Davis deferred comment to her employer, Legacy Link, the nonprofit organization responsible for overseeing senior centers across North Georgia.
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By press time, Legacy Link had not responded to a request for comment on Davis’ resignation and other potential staffing issues, which come amid funding challenges that are impacting Senior Center services, and the newspaper did not know the status of a replacement for Davis.
In response to an initial information request last week, Legacy Link Office Manager Ashley Pitts said that, in previous years, due to COVID-19, “the Senior Center was fortunate to receive stimulus funding, which allowed us to expand our meal program and serve additional clients.”
“However, due to the growth of the meal programs, the last stimulus funding was exhausted during the first two quarters of this fiscal year,” Pitts continued. “Unfortunately, the local funding required to cover these additional costs has not materialized as projected.
“For instance, last year we received over $20,000 in donations through our ‘Buy a Senior a Meal’ holiday program, which was crucial in supporting our efforts. This year, we’ve seen a significant decrease, with donations totaling less than $8,000. Additionally, other general local donations have also been lower compared to previous years.
“That said, we have not experienced any significant changes in our federal or state funding. These sources have remained stable. In response to the decrease in local donations and the conclusion of stimulus funding, we are having to scale back some of our meal services to manage costs effectively.
“We understand that these changes may raise concerns, and we’re actively working to address the funding gap and continue providing services to our clients.”
There has been some speculation – much of it on social media – that the funding hardship, program changes and even Davis’ departure are the result of actions taken by Union County Sole Commissioner Harold Collins. But outgoing Director Davis said this is simply not true.
“The new commissioner has had absolutely zero to do with any of this – it has nothing to do with any new administration at all,” Davis said. “Somebody told me they heard that (Commissioner Collins) was taking our fundraising money from the Pancake Breakfast (fundraiser on March 8).
“And I said, ‘Who in the world told you that? That is the most ridiculous thing – he’s been nothing but helpful.’”
As for Collins, he has been actively promoting the Senior Center and asking community members to offer their support for the facility located at 95 Senior Center Drive in Blairsville.
“Its mission is to support and advocate for aging adults and individuals with disabilities to be their link to a better life,” Collins said in a recent newspaper column. “The Union County Senior Center serves adults 60 years and older who reside in Union County. The Center offers a number of wellness and socialization opportunities for senior citizens in our community.
“Currently, the Center serves 107 clients. These services include a variety of exercise classes, line dancing classes, an art room stocked with materials, a sewing room with classes for those who wish to learn to sew, karaoke, a pool table, crafting classes, and a daily meal service.”
Collins has also outlined the very real impact the Senior Center’s meal programs have had on the lives of local seniors, including the serving of 10,330 meals to congregate members and the delivery of 31,422 meals to homebound older adults in 2024.
Additionally, he has discussed the hardship brought about by the “discontinuation of the federal stimulus funding paired with the growth of meals provided within the community,” which have required the Senior Center to adjust its meal services by cutting the number of meals provided.
“As a result, the Center is operating with a waitlist for meals, and all new clients must pay $6.58 per meal,” Collins said. “In addition, the Center provides Meals on Wheels, serving 115 clients with home-delivered meals through the dedication of volunteers and staff members.
“To continue the support of this program, the Center offers a ‘private pay’ option of $5.05 per delivered meal, but the Center realizes that some of the seniors cannot currently afford to pay that amount.”
The commissioner pointed to efforts that are underway “to raise funds for these essential programs,” highlighting the recent Heart Tree display in the center lobby, and he recommended people contribute in person or via mail, with checks payable to “Union County Senior Center.”
“Other recent fundraising efforts include a book sale, fabric sale, music event, and various raffles to benefit the meal programs,” Collins said. “I encourage members of the community to support the Senior Center as they continue to provide these valuable services to our aging population.”
