Seniors who get their lunch at the Morgan Hill Senior Center on
Crest Avenue won
’t find much difference in the food but, starting Friday, they
found a difference in the people running their popular center.
Seniors who get their lunch at the Morgan Hill Senior Center on Crest Avenue won’t find much difference in the food but, starting Friday, they found a difference in the people running their popular center.
Catholic Charities has run the senior nutrition program for 29 years but, because of budget cuts, the nonprofit is no longer able to keep up the program after Sept. 30. The Older Adult Services department of Santa Clara County stepped in to take over after accepting a proposal by Mt. Madonna YMCA which leases the Friendly Inn building from the city for $1 a year.
When Catholic Charities left, most of the staff changed . Nutrition Site Manager Felina Carpio retired after 25 years in the job. Carpio also ran the Outreach and other programs and was praised at a ceremony Thursday morning attended by the older adult services manager from Catholic Charities, Marilou Cristina, and the county’s program manager for senior nutrition program, Julie Aragon.
Carpio came to the U.S. in 1972 from the Philippines and because a citizen in 1979, the year she came to the center.
She loves to read and watch television news, dance, play cards and maj jong.
Carpio says she stayed at the center for 25 years because she was happy there.
The YMCA’s Patricia Wyman has trained along side Carpio for several months and says she is “almost ready” to take over for Carpio as nutrition site manager and as director of the senior center.
“I want to let everyone know how important our seniors are to Morgan Hill,” Wyman said Wednesday about her new job.
Wyman was in the restaurant business in San Jose for 20 years and owned her own restaurant.
“Food is at the heart of everything we do,” Wyman said.
She has plans to boost the center’s liveliness and attendance too.
“I want to add nice tablecloths and give our seniors more service,” Wyman said. “I want to spoil them – I want them to come back often and bring their friends.”
Plans also include resurrecting bingo and continuing card games, dominoes and the bridge group. The center makes up one table that plays regularly and has an instructor who gives free lessons to willing seniors. There is live music and dancing every Friday.
Lunch Monday-Friday. Cost: donations only for ages 60 and over, $2 if they can afford it; under 60 and guests are asked for a donation of $5. Diners must sign in by 11:30am.
Friendly Inn Senior Center, 17666 Crest Ave. 779-0208.
