New programs and a renovated space awaited Polk County senior citizens when they recently returned, after more than a year away due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to enjoy activities at The Meeting Place in Columbus.

“Our reopening is a gradual process. Safety is our top priority, and our goal is to have a safe, phased reopening so that our visitors feel comfortable,” said Haley Suskauer, Polk County’s Population Health Manager. “We have started with the reopening of our main site in Columbus, and plans are currently made for the reopening of our satellite sites.”

The Columbus site is located at 75 Carmel Lane, while there are satellite sites in Saluda and Green Creek. The Meeting Place’s mission is to improve the lives of seniors through opportunities for active aging, socialization, health promotion, and education.

The center continued to engage with local senior citizens during the pandemic, Suskauer said. The Meeting Place transitioned to limited operations last year on Monday, March 16, and was closed to the public.

“We continued to operate our drive-thru meal pick-up and our home-delivered meal services. We were able to serve over 46,000 meals during this time. That was a 40 percent increase from our previous year,” she said. “During this time, we offered virtual classes, take-home weekly activity kits, and volunteers and staff called participants twice a week to check in.”

Improvements were made to The Meeting Center during this time, too, as the Columbus center was renovated with new flooring, top of the line fitness equipment for our gym, a brand new “Aging in Style” fitness studio, new dining room furniture, and a pickleball court.

In June a limited offering of indoor and outdoor classes began and Suskauer said the center has seen a significant increase in participants.

“We started offering Spin Bike classes in June and they were a huge hit,” she said. “Our fitness classes have been full all through the month of June, so we added additional classes for the month of July. Our fitness classes include Spin Bike Class, Yoga, Pound It, and Refit. We plan to offer additional classes starting in August to meet the demand.

“Our community has faced many hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are excited to finally be able to safely reopen to our community,” she continued. “Our seniors have bravely endured over a year of isolation and we are elated to be able to reopen and provide socialization opportunities for them again.”

The Meeting Place is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Lunch is served from 11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. To-go plates are still being offered for those who prefer to grab and go. For adults 60 and older, our programs and lunch are free. For those who are under the age of 60, lunch is $5.

As participation increases, The Meeting Place needs additional volunteers to assist with our operations and home-delivered meals program. For those who are interested in volunteering, they can pick up a volunteer application at the Columbus center or call at 828-894-0001.

For additional information about The Meeting Place, including a schedule of activities, please visit The Meeting Place page on PolkNC.org.