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Some Senior Centers To Close Temporarily

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A southern Illinois senior center is becoming a victim of the budget stalemate, at least temporarily.

As of Friday, the senior center in Chester is being forced to close until a new budget deal is approved.
Center director Donna Walters says the Western Egyptian Economic Opportunity Council, which oversees the facility's operations, will only receive a partial payment for July and no payments for additional services until a new budget is approved.

Walters says they will try to keep some services going temporarily.

"Our home delivered meals, we deliver anywhere from 35-40 per day.  We're trying to send out some frozen meals for them to at least last a week. We do some frozens out of town, so we have stockpiled some."

She says this comes at a particularly inopportune time for her facility.

"We just did purchase - through many community donations - new vans to help transport our seniors around and deliver the meals...and as of Friday...(they) will be sitting idle."

Walters says some of her seniors may be able to access services at the Sparta Senior Center, which is staying open for now.

Senior Centers in Red Bud, Columbia and Waterloo are also closing temporarily as of Friday.

 

As a news producer and news anchor on All Things Considered, Brad provides the listeners with a recap of the day's top local and state news as well as breaking news at any given time. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
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