Montgomery County, PA

 

HARLEYSVILLE — The Montgomery County Commissioners presented a check for $96,000 Tuesday to the Harleysville Senior Center as a matching grant to complete renovations begun by volunteers with the assistance of area businesses.

 

Commissioners Chairman Jim Matthews convinced his colleagues to include the funds in this year’s budget after touring the senior center toward the end of a Days of Caring project organized by the North Penn United Way in September, 2007.

 

Close to 300 Merck employees had just spent three days cleaning and painting the entire building, installing ceiling tiles and new fixtures in the bathroom and converting two unused rooms into the Merck fitness center and a personal services area.

 

“At the national volunteer rate average of $20 per hour, Merck employees supplied $48,000 in labor and the company gave a $10,000 gift to name the fitness room,” Matthews said.

 

Combined with donations from LOWES, Best Buy, Koffel Builders and others, the Days of Caring project resulted in over $100,000 being invested in the senior center by the community.

 

But not everything that the senior center needed had been completed, said Robin Burstein, executive director of the Harleysville Senior Center.

 

The flooring in the back hall and 3 back rooms badly needed replacement, the offices and library needed new carpet and the kitchen, which serves between 35 and 50 people in a daily meal program, needed a complete renovation, she said.

 

“That’s where we chose to step in,” Matthews said. “With the support of (former) Commissioners Tom Ellis and Ruth Damsker, we set aside this grant of $96,000 to match the community’s commitment to the Harleysville Senior Center.”

 

The Harleysville Senior Center (HSC) is a private non-profit agency that serves 2,500 senior citizens drawn primarily from central Montgomery County.

 

Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr., who lives a short distance from the center, said he’s encouraged by both the levels of participation among area seniors and support from the community.

 

“Many of my neighbors are members of the Harleysville Senior Center,” Commissioner Bruce L. Castor Jr. said. “I’m glad to see this level of support in the community and I’m happy the County can help.”

 

 

Left to right: Sue Orff, Merck, Montgomery County Commissioners Chairman James R. Matthews, Jeff Koscelansky, Merck, Connie Wickersham, Merck, Robin Berstein, Executive Director of Harleysville Senior Center, Sarah Whetstone, Executive Director of North Penn United Way, Michael Sadowski, Merck, Montgomery County Commissioner Bruce L. Castor, Jr., Mary Frawley, Merck, Nancy Capra, Merck.