The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

To the Editor:

During the past three years, our Senior Center has continued to serve meals twice weekly for delivery and added outside pickup when the dining room was closed. Throughout the past three years, practical precautions have been taken to keep everyone safe and healthy, and we can proudly say that not one case of Covid19 has been reported from an exposure at the Senior Center.

Is anybody in City or County Government aware that Dayton has a Senior Center? You would never know it by gauging how much attention it has received from the agencies responsible for the health of our senior citizens and the operation of our Senior Center. Prior to the Covid19 pandemic nurses from Dayton General Hospital and the Columbia County Health Department regularly visited the center, checking on the well-being of it’s attendees and relaying information regarding health and quality of life issues that are important for senior citizens. A County Commissioner is assigned the task of keeping track of the issues and needs of the center but one has not been seen in an official capacity for quite a long time.

The Columbia County Senior Center at 403 E Patit St. serves meals prepared by the Dayton General Hospital’s kitchen and is open Tuesday and Thursday at 11:30. The suggested donation per meal is 4$ for anyone 65 or older. There is a 7$ fee for anyone under 65. Everyone is welcome, so if you haven’t already, come in for lunch and friendly conversation!

Thank you,

Bruce & Heather Hiebert 

Volunteers @ The Senior Center

Dayton, Wash.