Historical December 1989 report or notice. Original dates, prices and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
A good lunch, a game of bingo, conversation with friends, and more await senior citizens who take advantage of one of Skinker-DeBaliviere’s “best kept secrets”—the Urban West Senior Citizens Center. Serving the home-bound with delivered meals, the center also houses a busy program of activities for every interest.
The Urban West Senior Center, located at 5370 Pershing, in the Branscombe Apartments, serves area elderly with a variety of programs and activities. Open from 8:30 to 5 weekdays, all senior citizens in the area bounded by Forest Park, Skinker, Delmar, McPherson, and Taylor, are welcome.
From 11-12 daily, a hot lunch is offered at minimal charge.
Before and after lunch, a different activity is scheduled every day of the week. Monday: Arts and crafts, including ceramics. 1:00 p.m.—Bible class Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.—Exercise class Wednesday: 9:00 a.m.—Walking Bingo in the afternoon. Thursday: Po-Ke-No in the afternoon Plus guest speakers. Friday: Every 1st and 3rd Friday, a bus takes participants to National or Schnucks for grocery shopping. Other opportunities include a van which takes interested seniors to 1408 N. Kingshighway to get commodities, and a van which can be reserved for trips to area clinics, doctors and other appointments.
The center is managed by the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the center’s director is Benjamin Germany.
In addition to the center’s social activities and meals is the hot meal delivery service, which takes meals to sick and shut-in seniors.
Although there is currently a waiting list for the home-delivered meals, a call only one day in advance will reserve a meal for those able to come into the Center. Call Ben Germany or Alma B. Harris at 361-0640.
On the day we visited, a full Thanksgiving dinner was served. Menus posted for the coming week included a variety of nutritious and very appealing meals.
One was: fried codfish, with oven brown potatoes, sliced zucchini, citrus cup, hamburger, and banana pudding. Ms. Sarah Boose showed us the Christmas decorations and fancy dolls the people doing crafts had made. Ms. Ethel Guy let us tour the ceramics room, with its own kiln for firing projects. Ms. Emily Williams was busy serving meals to all who came.
The lively group at the Urban West Senior Citizens Center has friendship and fun to offer.
For additional information or to reserve next day’s meal at the center, call Mr. Germany or Ms. Harris at 361-0640 or drop in at the Branscombe, 5370 Pershing, in the heart of the DeBaliviere Place neighborhood.
Original photograph caption
Ethel Guy ( left ) and Emily Williams serve turkey dinners at the Urban West Senior Citizens Center. Photo by Sue Rothschild Photo by Sue Rothschild. The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, December1989, page1.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, December 1989.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Printed continuation columns are displaced: complete Sarah Boose/crafts and “friendship and fun to offer” sentences joined without added wording. Review original layout if needed. Menus and eligibility are1989information.
Original source: SD_Times1989_12.pdf, printed page(s) 1, 5; PDF page(s) 1, 5.
