Del Norte Senior Center to break ground in March

Boomers, wake up! Part XI-Elder wasteland

Pursuing a dream

Nine questions you may not know you have about deregulation

What happened to the Equal Rights Amendment?

Traveling the Electronic Highway: Starter Computers

Injury avoided by R-U-OK Program

Writers Group fosters enthusiastic community

Another Peak Experience: Throw pies, not bombs!

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The idea of building a center for the senior citizens of Del Norte County first arose in the mid 1980s. The present site on Northcrest was purchased in 1988.

In 1989 Gene Olson was hired as executive director of Del Norte Senior Center and immediately faced the problem of obtaining funds to pay off a large mortgage and figuring out how to generate funding for building a center. He turned to Housing and Urban Development (HUD 202), and HUD required low income housing for senior citizens. Buildings already on the land were renovated by Olson, Jim McLaughlin, and Drexel Swanson, then rented. A total of $160,000 was raised, which lowered the mortgage payments to a manageable amount.

They hired an architect who drew up plans for the apartments. Gene then applied for the HUD funding and waited and hoped. Finally on Gene's birthday they received a phone call from Senator Barbara Boxer. "You've got your funding," she told them. The work on Redwood Cove Senior Residence was begun, and the apartments were ready for occupancy last fall. Rental income helps support the center.

Next phase

After Redwood Cove was completed, Gene, with the county's help, applied for and got a grant of $350,000 from Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, and Del Norte County also succeeded in getting $130,000 from the Health Care District (HCD).

After permit fees, contingency, equipment, and engineering expenses, the amount remaining in the construction fund was $499,746. The Senior Center was put out for bid. Alas, the lowest bid was $689,000-$189,254 more than available.

But that didn't phase Gene Olson-he wrote to California Endowment Foundation (CEF) and requested the $189,000. In November, CEF representative Kerry Blume came to view the plans and inspect the location with Gene and Ralph Patterson, Linda and Chet O'Neill, and Wayne Roberts, also of the Del Norte Senior Center; Board chair Barbara Clausen representing the County Board of Supervisors; Sandy Fitzpatrick representing Area I Agency on Aging; and Jeff Mitchell representing the Architects/Engineer.

Other fundraising efforts are selling black tiles with the donor's name for $100 or more which will be placed on kiosks designed into the exterior of the center. Donations of $500 or more will be honored by plaques inside the center. However all donations, no matter how small are greatly appreciated.

Gene also requested more funds for the Del Norte Senior Center from Department of Community Services and Development and received $89,600.

The long pursued dream of a new Del Norte Senior Center is scheduled to be a reality in late summer of 1998.

One-time article Copyright 1998 by Humboldt Senior Resource Center.