County adds funds to purchase more fans for senior citizens
By Staff Reports
Published in News on June 28, 2010 1:46 PM
Wayne County last week amended the county budget to provide $1,300 to help buy fans for area senior citizens after funds from other agencies to purchase fans had been expended.
Eryn McAuliffe, director of the Wayne County Services on Aging, said she was able to get 50 fans and five air-conditioners from the Spence Avenue Wal-Mart on Thursday.
Ms. McAuliffe said she has been inundated with calls from people needing relief from the heat and asking for a fan.
"Now, we have 50 more fans," she said. "This will help some of the people."
Wal-Mart provided fans at a reasonable rate and donated an air-conditioner, she said.
Recent record-breaking heat drove up the need for more air-conditioners and fans for the elderly and disabled in the county. A special program through Progress Energy distributes a certain amount of money locally to buy fans and air-conditioners.
Temperatures are forecast to remain in the 90s for the next few days.
"We were able to buy one air-conditioner and 35 fans with the money through the Progress Energy grant," Ms. McAuliffe said. "Those were gone within two days."
Ms. McAuliffe said other local non-profit agencies, such as WAGES, had also run out of money to buy fans.
"There is a policy sheet as to who qualifies for the program," she said. "We have elderly people that are sick and disabled. These temperatures are dangerous for them."
Ms. McAuliffe also encouraged senior citizens to come to the Senior Center during the day to cool off. The center is located at 100 S. John St. in downtown Goldsboro and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and from 7:30 a.m. to noon on Fridays.