September is National Senior Center Month. The Hub City Senior Center at 401 Cherry Ave. in Rochelle provides community, exercise, transportation and more to area seniors to improve their quality of life, HCSC Executive Director Diana King said Sept. 16.

HCSC partners with Lifescape and serves lunch daily as a congregate meal site. It offers resources and assistance on items like Medicare as well. The facility offers a wide array of activities including exercise programs five days a week, bingo, a monthly birthday party, and seasonal and annual events. HCSC partners with the Reagan Mass Transit District to offer door-to-door rides for seniors and individuals with disabilities anywhere in Rochelle.

Last year, HCSC provided over 8,900 rides throughout Rochelle. On a daily basis it sees about 50 people in the center. Last year, its lunch program saw about 4,400 meals served.

“We did a survey to see if our transportation program was really making a difference,” King said. “Ninety-six percent of the respondents said that without our transportation services, they would be isolated and homebound with no way to get to a doctor’s appointment or the grocery store. And they probably wouldn’t be able to continue living independently because they wouldn’t have access to those essential needs.”

King said HCSC is working to meet the needs of more seniors and younger seniors, with an ever-growing aging population. A monthly newsletter with activities is sent out to reach as many people as possible. She said the Baby Boomer generation is more active than seniors have been in the past. HCSC has started to offer more and different fitness programs and new evening programs such as its Hoedown and Sockhop.

There are over 11,000 senior centers in the United States that serve over 1 million people. HCSC’s main priority is combating social isolation in seniors, which can be as devastating to someone’s health as a chronic illness, King said.

“Just giving them a safe place to gather with others is important,” King said. “When people are working or going to school, they have those connections. But once they retire, they can lose those connections. This is a place for people to gather and meet with others. It’s amazing to see the improved quality of life for people that get involved here. Just getting out and not looking at four walls at home and meeting with other people. The exercise group, we just exercise to a DVD. But they come in and get that fellowship and being around other people and encouraging one another. You can see the improvement in their lives.”

HCSC patron Kathy Windland has been coming to the center for about 10 years and enjoys it because she gets to spend time with friends. Paul Erickson is part of a good-sized group that plays pool regularly at the HCSC.

“It’s a good way to pass the time,” Erickson said. “Some of the guys are in a pool league and it’s a good way to stay sharp. Most of them are just here to enjoy the game and each other’s company.”

Barbara Porter lives in Lincoln Manor, one of many retirement communities in Rochelle that HCSC offers services to.

“Coming here helps tremendously,” Porter said. “I’ve been trying to get other residents to come down here. If it wasn’t for the senior center, I’d be sitting in my room 24/7 and becoming very isolated and depressed. I’m thankful for the activities and camaraderie and socialization. I’m thankful for the fact that I have somewhere to go.”

King thanked the Rochelle community for its support of the HCSC, which has included donations, volunteering and community members coming in for talks and programs.

“The support we get from the community is so important,” King said. “If we didn’t have that, we wouldn’t be able to exist. Rochelle is a wonderful community that has a lot of support. I’ve worked in other communities with less support. Every day I feel blessed by how supportive the community is.”

Earlier in her life, King went back to school and into the human services field. At that point, she never saw herself working with older adults. Now, she can’t see herself doing any other type of work. She enjoys seeing the differences HCSC makes in seniors’ lives each day.

“We’re definitely a vital asset to the community,” King said. “I’ve heard that from so many of the seniors that come in here. Some people say they’re not old enough to come to the senior center. There’s some stigma there. Everyone is welcome here. We have no membership fee. Everything we do is at no cost. Keeping people physically, mentally and socially engaged is what we do here.”