Wayne County Senior Center dedicated to local advocate
By Steve Herring
Published in News on October 2, 2012 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
The Wayne County Senior Center on Ash Street is seen early this morning. The center has been officially named after longtime senior advocate Peggy Seegars.
Wayne County has named its new Senior Center at 2001 E. Ash St. in honor of Peggy M. Seegars, the county's Senior Tar Heel Legislator.
Mrs. Seegars has been a longtime supporter of local senior citizens and has been a tireless advocate for their causes, county officials said.
A founding member of the Senior Tar Heel Legislature, she has advised lawmakers on priorities for older adults and provides recommendations that will improve the lives of senior citizens, the officials said.
Mrs. Seegars was the driving force for a new bill introduced into the General Assembly mandating drug testing for nursing home staffs.
"If anyone in the community has questions relating to senior citizens, they call Peggy and she gets an answer for them," said Eryn McAuliffe, director of Wayne County's Services on Aging.
In 2011, the Eastern Carolina Council Area Agency of Aging recognized Mrs. Seegars for her dedication and years of service to senior citizens by presenting her with its Aging Leadership Award.
"She has continuously advocated for a new Senior Center in Wayne County, as many a county commissioner can attest," Ms. McAuliffe said. "In addition to supporting the project verbally, she has supported the project financially and has helped with fundraising efforts also. Truly, naming the Senior Center after her is most appropriate."
Construction is nearing completion on the 19,000-square-foot facility.
With the new building will come extended hours and additional programs as well as state-of-the-art technology.
The center will be open Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m, Wednesday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Future plans include fitness classes, yoga classes, line dancing, senior dances and arthritis exercise classes at night. There will be a trainer available during certain hours to teach senior citizens how to use the center's new exercise equipment.
The new facility also will contain an indoor shuffleboard game.
Construction is nearing completion on the facility that is housed in the former Sportsman's World building that the county purchased along with two outlying buildings in May 2011.
In February, the commissioners awarded the contract for the work to the design-and-build team of Daniels and Daniels Construction of Goldsboro and Dunn and Dalton Architects of Kinston. Design-build is a team approach that includes the architect/engineer and contractor working together on a project from design to construction.
The center has a 90-space parking lot and a covered drive.
The new center will include an airlock-type door, a large dining area, numerous restrooms, a commercial-style kitchen, an arts and crafts room and several offices that can be used by agencies that offer programs to help seniors.
There are two exercise rooms. One will have 10 pieces of exercise equipment and three televisions. The second will be used for line dancing, chair exercises and similar programs.
The wall separating that room from the large dinning room is movable. The dinning room will seat 210 and moving the wall will expand the seating capacity to 260. The county plans to make the room available for rent.
The center also will have a computer lab. A large room will house the in-home aid program nurse and hospital bed.
An enclosed patio area will be available for people with Alzheimer's disease or similar health problems.
A park-like area will be built near the adjoining building that houses Literacy Connections of Wayne County and the county Veterans Services office.