Harrisburg's senior citizens center is no more... The Golden Circle Senior Center was destroyed by Wednesday's tornado. The Egyptian Area Agency on Aging in Carterville is working to do what it can to help the Harrisburg center rebuild. Egyptian Executive Director John Smith says they’re setting up a fund to help restore the building. he says they will be collecting donations at their office in Carterville as well as through their website www.egyptianaaa.org. Smith says he's not sure how much it will take to rebuild. He says similar facility built in Herrin cost about a million dollars.
Smith says in the meantime they will be working to find another location in Harrisburg that will allow them to serve meals to seniors. He says it will likely take a few weeks to get a temporary senior center set up. Smith says he knows it will be an inconvenience for those used to attending the old center. He says they'll work with Golden Circle to find an appropriate building and get things, as close as possible, back to normal.
Smith also says the Egyptian Area Agency on Aging will also help the Senior Center in Ridgeway raise money to replace its food stock. The Ridgeway center was not damaged but did lose electricity to its refrigerators and freezers during the storms.
