Farmersville senior citizens now have a place to call their own once again after a nearly two-year shutdown that started in March 2020 due to the pandemic.

The parking lot at the Senior Center on Orange Street was full Saturday, Jan. 22 as senior residents took the opportunity to attend the long-awaited Open House. Not only did visitors enjoy hot coffee and cookies, but many also got to tour the facility and meet new friends.

Because of the long closure and neglect, the interior of the Senior Center demanded attention, and now many of the issues have been remedied thanks to work completed by the City Amenities Board, Farmersville Rotary Club and other volunteers.

Funding from the Centennial Committee was provided to purchase new tables, chairs and window blinds for the facility.

“The Centennial Committee gave us the money for all of this,” Regina Fryman, City Amenities Board chair said. “We had a lot of soiled and broken furniture and we’ve got that taken care of thanks in part to Councilman Williams.

“We’ve still got a few things to do, Williams said. “But it’s a whole lot better than it was.”

In the past, the Senior Center, library and Civic Center were overseen by the Parks and Rec Board. That all changed, said Fryman, with the election of the new mayor and councilmembers in 2020.

“Once Bryon (Wiebold) was elected, he set the amenities board back up again and that’s when I got involved,” Fryman said.

Right now, she said the goal is to get the center open on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. She said she is trying to find volunteers to help get the facility open more, “just so they (seniors) have a place to go besides their house.”

The center is stocked with plenty of puzzles and games, and some classes and a Bible study are already in the works. Volunteers are needed, said Fryman, “to do a Bingo tournament, 42 tournament or a group meal at lunchtime.”

Items such as simple exercise equipment, including light weights and resistance bands are still needed. Cash donations are always welcome, says Fryman, to help alleviate the costs of any classes, including exercise and art. Fryman said she has already spoken with a person who wants to teach art classes, and her trainer at Camp Gladiator plans to teach exercise classes at the center.

Another regular activity in the past was the potluck meal the Senior Center hosted every Thursday. And while that is not on the schedule just yet, it is something Fryman hopes will happen soon.

“I just want to have someplace (for seniors) who want to come and eat together,” she said.