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Community and Seasoned Citizens
PO Box 227
Marysville, OH 43040
- Office at American Legion Hall (500 Park Ave.) in Marysville
- Activities at the Elks Lodge (125 E. 5th St.) and American Legion Hall (Legion
Park) in Marysville
Phone: 937-644-9801
Contact: Avanelle Oberlin,
Executive Director
E-mail: aoberlin@columbus.rr.com
What it does:
Provides a wide range of recreational, social and educational opportunities
for individuals 50 years and older in Union County. Weekly activities include yoga, card games, book clubs, movies,
bingo, exercise, bus trips, and more. Call the office for an updated weekly schedule.
New food program available for area seniors
February 26, 2010
More than 100 boxes of food were distributed to area seniors today, launching a new program
to help income-eligible residents over the age of 60. Community & Seasoned Citizens and Union County Senior
Services are partnering with the Mid-Ohio Food Bank to provide free food for Union County seniors.
Those over 60 with gross income of less than $1,174 per month ($1,579 for a household of two) can receive a 35-pound
box of food on the 4th Friday of every month. Boxes include cereal, juice, canned meat or fish, peanut butter,
beans, canned fruit and vegetables, rice or potatoes, and cheese. Food is delivered to the American Legion Hall
in Marysville (500 Park Avenue) for pick-up. Arrangements can even be made for shut-ins to have the food delivered
to their home.
"We're excited to be able to offer this program," said Avanelle Oberlin, President of the Community &
Seasoned Citizens. "The timing of the distribution, near the end of every month, will help many seniors until
their social security payment comes the following week." To sign up, call Community & Seasoned Citizens
at 937-644-9801 or Union County Senior Services at 937-644-9629.
Feature Story:
It started with four people in 2002 and has grown to more than 330 members today. It is the Community and Seasoned
Citizens, an organization created to establish additional recreational programs for the nearly 7,000 senior citizens
who live in Union County.
“We have to do everything we can to reach as many seniors as possible,” said
Anne Daniel, CASC Activities Director.
“What will happen in the next few years when we feel the full impact of the
Baby Boomer Generation?” Oberlin asked Avanelle Oberlin, CASC Executive Director. “We must be proactive and address
the current needs as well as plan for the future.”
With dozens of weekly activities including yoga, card games, book clubs,
movies, bingo, even Wii Fit bowling tournaments and bus trips, they’re trying to do that. Activities are based
at the Elks and American Legion halls in Marysville and give seniors a sense of belonging.
“If a senior faces a major life-changing event such as retirement, the loss
of a spouse, a child, or close friend, they are often prone to self-imposed isolation,” said Oberlin. “This can
result in depression and in turn causes mental, physical, and other problems. If they are brought into a group
where they can socialize and participate in activities of interest, they will have a much better quality of life.”
“We have a member who moved to Marysville to be near her son after her husband
died,” Daniel said. “She didn’t know anybody and said that she spent many unhappy and lonely days since she’d been
here. Then one day, she saw our sign in the window at the Elks Lodge. She walked in to see what we were about and
she’s in everything now.
“We have a lot of people who will start out by simply coming to an activity,”
Daniel said. “Then the next time they will get involved as a volunteer. And then the next thing you know, they’ll
say, ‘Oh, this getting old thing is not so bad!’”
United Way first partnered with the group last year when the Board awarded
Community and Seasoned Citizens a $3,000 grant. Now they are a Member Agency and will receive annual funding from
the campaign.
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More than 120 members attended the Community and
Seasoned Citizens Spring Fling in April. The new organization has dozens of weekly activities for area seniors.
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Community and Seasoned Citizens became a United
Way Member Agency in early 2009. CASC Board President Gert Sabins with United Way Executive Director Shari Marsh,
CASC Activities Director Anne Daniel, and CASC Executive Director Avanelle Oberlin.
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Avanelle Oberlin, Anne Daniel, and Rose Arth of the Community &
Seasoned Citizens with a box from the CASC Senior Food Distribution Program.
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Volunteers load up vans for delivery of the food boxes to homebound
residents.
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Volunteers load up vans for delivery of the food boxes to homebound
residents.
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