Members of the Putnam House senior center have been gathering at the First Baptist Church while their new home is being renovated. Enjoying a fresh loaf of bread are, from left, Jennifer Sylvester, Bob Luhrs and Dawn Degenhart. (Courtesy of Jennifer Sylvester)
HOULTON, Maine — Dreams of establishing a place for seniors to congregate for coffee, snacks and old-fashioned camaraderie are alive and well for the Putnam House Center.
A group of dedicated organizers have been trying to bring a recreational senior center to the Houlton area for a number of months now. Originally, the group had set its sights on the former Putnam House, located on North Street, as the ideal spot for its center.
The Putnam Charitable Trust offered the historic building, located across the street from McDonalds, as a potential home for the center at no charge back in June. Unfortunately, once inspections of the property took place, the group learned it would be far too expensive to bring that building up to code.
Although the group is no longer going to be housed at the Putnam House on North Street, they have decided to keep the name for continuity.
A large group of seniors has been gathering Tuesdays at the First Baptist Church on Court Street in Houlton as part of the Putnam House organization. A new, permanent location for these gatherings will soon be opening in the Shiretown. (Courtesy of Jennifer Sylvester)
For the past few months, seniors have been gathering each Tuesday in a room at the First Baptist Church on Court Street, playing cribbage, doing puzzles and bringing back old-fashioned conversation.
And while that location has served the purpose, board members still yearned for a building of their own where seniors could meet, bake some goodies and do some small gardening projects.
Now that dream is becoming a reality.
Last week, the group signed a lease for a small building located adjacent to the church on the corner of Court and Lawn streets, reigniting the dream of opening a more permanent center for seniors. The building, which is currently owned by Gary Hagan, most recently served as a veterinary office, but has been empty for more than a year.
Bob Luhrs, left, and Torry Sylvester play a game of cribbage at a recent Putnam House senior center gathering. (Courtesy of Jennifer Sylvester)
Board members for the proposed senior center, which has received its official non-profit status, include Lori Weston, president; Jane Torres, vice president; Zach Abbotoni, treasurer; Jennifer Sylvester, secretary; Rev. Dennis Ashley; Dawn Degenhardt, Bob Anderson and Becky Day.
“We have signed a lease for the property at 48 Court St.,” said Weston. “We are very excited. We have had a local contractor come in and look at the building and renovations will soon be done to make the building more comfortable.”
Currently, seniors can gather each Tuesday at the First Baptist Church from 8:30-noon. Once the new building is opened, those hours and days likely will be expanded. It is the goal of the group to have volunteers staff the center so it can be open every day.
Putnam House President Lori Weston, left, and board member Roberta Johnson get the coffee ready for seniors during a recent gathering at the First Baptist Church on Court Street. (Courtesy of Jennifer Sylvester)
The building needs a kitchen installed so that seniors will be able to bake sweets and other goodies. The bathrooms also will be renovated, and some of the walls may be torn down to give the center a more spacious feel.
“We will be applying for some grants to assist,” Torres said. “We may ultimately be able to purchase the building, but we want to make sure the seniors come.”
“We are open to anyone,” Weston added. “People can just pop in and have some coffee and conversation. They don’t have to be just from Houlton.”
For more information, or to volunteer, call Sylvester at 532-9361 or Torres at 694-3414.
