They offer services and groups that can bring people together to form bonds that may not have been made otherwise.

“We welcome everyone,” Ishpeming Senior Center Director Elyse Bertucci said.

The Ishpeming Senior Center has recently taken up residence in a new building that opened to the public in August.

“One of the biggest things that we were hoping for is that we would provide a place to gather for the seniors who reside in the west end,” Bertucci expressed.

The newly renovated Negaunee Senior Center, featuring new siding and stone work, is shown. (Photo courtesy of the Negaunee Senior Center)

The old Senior Center building, located on Pine Street in Ishpeming, was condemned by code officials in 2019. The new building, located at 121 Greenwood St., was funded by a $1.9 million grant through the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, local organizations and donors.

The building has a main room that seats 100 people. An activity room that seats up to 50 includes a sink, cabinets, refrigerator and microwave for the various activity groups held there to share food amongst themselves. There is also a small conference room that seats up to nine people. There is also a kitchen that is still in progress.

The center holds weekly and monthly activities. Weekly activities include pinochle, mahjong, cribbage, easy aerobics, and chair yoga. Monthly activities include a walk-in legal clinic, a foot care clinic by appointment, blood pressure clinic, and a caregiver support group.

The center is a great space for groups to meet up. High school graduation classes from the 1950s, ’60s, and ’70s congregate there monthly.

Community Action Alger-Marquette meals are also available. Reservations must be made the day before the meals are available by calling the senior center at 906-485-5527. The center also offers their own meals on Thursdays.

Until the kitchen is completed, meals are brought in from off site to the center. Meals must be reserved a day in advance by calling the center. Once the kitchen is ready, the staff will make meals there. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Negaunee Senior Center has recently undergone a face lift. It is still in the same location at 410 Jackson St., but with a new look. The center was awarded a grant by Michigan Economic Development Corporation in 2020 to do some much-needed repairs.

Back in the 1980s, senior citizens went door to door to raise money to build the senior center.

“It was great bones to start with, we just needed to do some updating,” Negaunee Senior Center Director Kristy Basolo said.

A complete overhaul of the kitchen was completed, featuring new appliances and countertops. A handicap-accessible back door is now in place. New siding was installed on the building, with stonework laid on the lower half and heated sidewalks installed out front to help with ice.

In addition to those upgrades, insulation was put in, improvements to windows were undertaken, the front desk area underwent changes and improvements were made to the foundation.

The center is still offering activities such as social work services, a foot care clinic, a blood pressure clinic, a legal clinic and exercise classes. Currently, all activities are by appointment only and masks must be worn in the building at all times.

“With Covid protocols in place and being short staffed, we’re still making it work,” Basolo said. “I think we’re busier than we’ve ever been.”

They have also restarted their Parkinson’s support group. The group meets every fourth Monday of the month and is for people or caregivers caring for persons with Parkinson’s.

The center has recently partnered with Lake Superior Hospice and Life Care to provide a grief support group. This group meets every third Thursday of the month and is not limited to senior citizens. The center is also embarking on a tax preparation clinic starting in February. Seniors who have a moderate income or below can sign up to have trained tax volunteers do their taxes for free.

The senior center offers meals twice a week. These meals are prepared at the center and are used as a fundraiser to keep the center going. Residents wishing to pick up a meal must call the center at 906-475-6266 a day in advance to place an order. Meals are distributed at the center in a contactless curbside pick-up fashion due to COVID-19 precautions and short staffing issues.

“We are doing just as many of the curbside pick-up meals as we were when were having people come in to dine,” Basolo said. “It’s opened us up to different clientele, we have people coming to pick up meals for neighbors in need or for other people they’re helping to care give for.”

The center is excited to be back to offering group travel trips. It will be taking a trip to Chicago in May, Greece in September, and Branson, Missouri, in November. Per the tour companies’ request, participants must be vaccinated to travel.

To find out more information about these trips, visit www.facebook.com/ NegSeniorCenter/, or call the center Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Although COVID-19 has impacted both senior centers in various ways, they’re both adapting to changes and overcoming challenges to provide wonderful spaces for senior citizens to enjoy.

Taylor Johnson can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248. Her email address is