Struggling senior center making major changes
LOREN BENOIT/Press Barbara Odgrs shops for clothes Wednesday afternoon at the Post Falls Senior Center Thrift Store. The thrift store is closing its doors March 31 and the senior center plans to sell the 6,000-square-foot building.
Renate Libey shops for clothes Wednesday afternoon at the Post Falls Senior Center Thrift Store. The thrift store is closing its doors March 31. "I will miss the thrift store a lot," said Libey. "I come down here to shop and usually end up finding something nice." (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
The Post Falls Senior Center Thrift Store is closing its doors March 31 and plans to sell the building to try to keep its doors open. (LOREN BENOIT/Press)
POST FALLS — The Post Falls Senior Center is in survival mode.
The nonprofit is closing its thrift store on March 31 and plans to sell the 6,000-square-foot building and three-fourths of an acre it sits on to try to keep its doors open.
For another revenue source, the center this week had its bingo license re-instated by the Idaho Lottery Commission after it was revoked nearly three years ago due to record-keeping violations.
"The senior center is hurting, but we're trying to keep it open for the seniors," said Greg McLean, board president and a Post Falls Police captain. "We want to keep the doors open so we don't have to stop programs and the seniors still have a place to eat, socialize and get out. If we don't do something, we run the chance of losing the center."
McLean said the center is facing a debt of an estimated $200,000.
"That's based on the bills we've seen coming in — who we owe money to," he said. "There's also money owed to the IRS because employee withholding has not been paid since 2014."
McLean said the center's board is considering having an audit performed to get a better handle on the financial situation.
McLean said the thrift store, which has struggled to break even in recent years, will be on the market as soon as possible. An asking price hasn't been determined.
"We're hoping to be able to pay off the debt and put some extra into the bank account for a rainy day," McLean said.
McLean said the weekly lunches and Meals on Wheels program, which are funded by donations and state funds, are continuing.
"We've had to cut back on the amount of food a little — from salad bars all the time to table salads — but we have not been without meals as of yet," he said. "We have nutritional guidelines we have to meet, and we're meeting those."
The center serves about 4,500 meals a month.
McLean said bingo will likely resume in mid-April. The center will be allowed to hold it up to three days a week, but the specific days haven't been finalized.
"Bringing bingo back will be huge financially, and the seniors are excited about it," he said, adding that he recently applied for the license from the state. "We'll get training to make sure we're following the rules."
Former Executive Director Alison McArthur and the center parted ways in December after nearly six years. McLean said the nonprofit is in no hurry to find a replacement.
"Right now we are holding off for financial reasons," he said. "I have separated duties between the remaining employees and all seems to be going well."
McLean said the thrift store manager will assist with cooking and run bingo after the store closes.
The center continues to be open to opportunities to cater and rent out the hall for events.
McLean said he recently addressed the seniors about the situation.
"There's been a lot of change, so there's also been some confusion," he said. "They understand there are issues and they're supportive. They just want to see the center continue."