To the editor:

I am writing to celebrate a success achieved by the staff at the Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County. This success would probably go largely unnoticed, except by the people who were directly affected, if no one brought it to light. I want to shine a light on the impact of acting beyond expectations, of doing the right thing.

The Senior Center serves many different kinds of people in many different ways. They offer lunches, have exercise programs, craft programs, and nighttime events that include music and food. In the past, they hosted the Walk to End Alzheimer’s, which I attended for years as a staff member of the Alzheimer’s Association Miami Valley Chapter. Important to someone dear to me, they have weekly gatherings for fans of Texas Hold’em. But mostly, the Senior Center provides a caring, compassionate staff.

Recently the staff noticed that one of their regular members seemed to be having a difficulty. The staff strategically took note of the person’s difficulties and reported their observations to the proper authorities. This action resulted in the individual receiving the assistance they needed to ensure a safer, more positive future. Without the intervention of the staff at the Senior Center, the person might have endured many more years of needless suffering. The actions of the Senior Center staff exceeded their official duties. In my mind, they were heroic.

Today I am sending a donation to the Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County. I urge you to do what you can to celebrate this great Shelby County resource. The Senior Center of Sidney-Shelby County is a significant part of what adds quality to the lives of those living in this area of Ohio.

Sincerely,

Velma Lee Barber LISW-S

Dayton