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"I'm not a senior citizen (yet) but our seniors deserve a magnificent senior center. Over the past 30+ years I have seen money spent on everything but them. The decisions made now will affect every Norman senior citizen for the next 40-50 years and our leaders need to get it right." 

Jeffrey Fields
March, 2016

Vice-president Nadine Jewell authored this letter which appeared in the Norman Transcript, April 6, 2016.

Click the link to read the article:  http://www.normantranscript.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editor/norman-not-honoring-promise-to-seniors/article_43d415e1-767e-5dd0-8136-20151707430e.html

From founding member Better Maffucci ...

We've learned many things through this effort to fund an appropriate Center for Seniors and that is: very few of us think much about seniors. We all say we do but probably most of us don't until Grandma or Grandpa dies and we are caused to come to terms with our own mortality. I expect that is why so many have asked me lately: "Has there SERIOUSLY (the usual operative word) been ANY planning done on a Senior Center?" and I have to say "No. Not really."

 There were a couple of consultants rushed in late last summer when the heat was on prior to the Norman Forward vote to prove that"we would just love it (the remodeled north end of the current central library--now called EL)." (Keep in mind that the originalvote which people are now telling me they didn't actually understand was in 2008--8 years ago.) Aren't older folks more pliable, more willing to just say "ok. Whatever you think best, son."? It's no wonder some of us get such a bang out of the Maxine cartoons or the wonderful poem by Jenny Joseph "When I grow old I shall wear purple"

http://www.laterbloomer.com/jenny-joseph/ 

What I am leading to is that this has become so noticeable to us (especially when candidates tell us that when they knock on doors or current Council members say that their constituents tell them they have no interest in a Senior Center) and we have talked to hundreds of folks of all ages who just keep saying over and over and over and over- -- "go get 'em." 

This has led to the belief that there is a need for an ongoing group for the benefit of Seniors.(Where's AARP you may ask and we are asking too). So I can now report that Tuesday, 2/16/16, a group of us got together and approved a Name and with some minor corrections to be circulated soon a Statement of Purpose; we have elected a temporary Chair, Co-Chair, Secretary and Treasurer and a Board of Directors which we've agreed will stay in place for the next three months when other important matters have been sorted out, and soon we'll be broadcasting that name and will be gravitating to the new concept which will STILL be designed to get a great Senior Center but which also will be a standing group organized in the ongoing interests of Seniors and their allies.

Join us!

This article first appeared in the Facebook group Friends for a 21st Century Senior Citizens' Center.