Gold Rush to benefit senior center programs
<p>Maribel Teasley, left, smiles as she's given hot and cold food by Marilyn Smith, center, and Post Falls Police Lt. Curtis Exley on Wednesday as part of the Meals on Wheels program in Post Falls.</p>
<p>Post Falls Police Lt. Curtis Exley hands Alyssa Wilkinson a box of food as Laura Claffey watches before they deliver the food on Wednesday to a home-bound couple in Post Falls. Members of the police department volunteer with Meals on Wheels to deliver food to people who are unable to leave home to purchase food.</p>
<p>Dick Harris of Post Falls, who has volunteered with Meals on Wheels for 20 years, loads paper bags of food bound for delivery to home-bound people into his car on Wednesday in the Post Falls Senior Center parking lot.</p>
POST FALLS — There's money to be raised for them thar seniors on Saturday night.
The Post Falls Senior Center's Gold Rush fundraiser to benefit its Meals on Wheels program and building project will be held on Saturday at the Greyhound Park and Event Center.
"Our big goal is to make sure seniors in our community don't go hungry," said Alison McArthur, the center's executive director.
Doors open at 5 p.m. There will be a dinner buffet catered by Garden Plaza at 6 p.m., a live auction at 7 p.m. and comic impressionist Larry G. Jones will perform around 7:45 p.m.
Tickets are $30 per person. Tickets are available at the senior center, 1215 E. Third Ave., or at the door.
McArthur said more than 120 homebound seniors receive Meals on Wheels on a regular basis through the senior center.
"Our numbers have tripled since I came on in 2010," she said. "More people are aware of the program and more people are turning 60 or older every day."
The center asks for a $4 donation per meal, but it can't demand payment.
"Many of the seniors who are homebound don't have extra money," McArthur said. "Many are living on less than $500 per month. We had a client — and this came from the doctor — who was opening a can of corn or beans and trying to make it last for four or five days because she couldn't afford other meals."
McArthur said the money from Gold Rush will be used for ongoing Meals on Wheels expenses such as food trays and other supplies.
The fundraiser will also benefit the center's renovation project that is underway and expected to be done by July. The cost of the project is $363,900 and $150,000 will be paid for with a community block grant through the Idaho Department of Commerce.
"We're able to make the loan payment, but at some point we will want to pay that loan off," McArthur said.
The project includes a covered area at the entrance of the building, a new welcome area, two new classrooms and additional storage.
"We're trying to be proactive rather than reactive," McArthur said, referring to the desire to offer more classes and programs for the expected increase in seniors using the facility. "We want to make the senior center more attractive to those who may not think they are ready for the senior center."
"Post Falls seems to be the mecca of where seniors are coming. We probably get 20 calls a week asking about senior housing and what we do at the senior center."
The center is also in need of volunteer substitute Meals on Wheels drivers.
For more information about any senior center activities and programs, call 773-9582.