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The Robert E. Barr Nutrition Center in Brundidge is a best kept secret and it shouldn’t be, said Wanda Vinson, center director. “Our membership is down, primarily due to deaths and illness and we want to fill those slots because the center has a lot of offer our senior citizens, including a hot meal every day, fun, fellowship and the opportunity to be involved in the community.”

Vinson said the age for eligibility is 60 but the spouse of qualifying member is also eligible.

“A lot of people age 60 and over are still working so that is a reason our numbers are down,” Vinson said. “And, too, 60 is young in today’s world so a lot of people might think they are not old enough to come to the nutrition center. And, because we deliver meals, it is thought by some that we serve frozen meals. We have a balanced hot meal every day. Sometimes we have pasta other times hamburgers and other times casseroles – just a wide variety. We always have a vegetable, tea, coffee. And, that’s all for a one dollar donation.”

Vinson said the participants enjoy the fellowship of friends and neighbors and sometimes they just visit.

“But most days, they enjoy dominoes and card games and especially Bingo,” she said. “Bingo prizes are donated from time to time that include gift cards for dinners and other things.”

Vinson said the Robert E. Barr Nutrition Center is a place where seniors can socialize and experience independence and spread their wings.

“We offer trips of different kinds and they especially enjoy the dinner trips and the fishing one,” she said. “We provide other services like picking up their food from the food bank at Galloway Park and delivering it to the center. They can also get their flu and shingles shots here instead of having to go elsewhere.”

Vinson said there are no open slots for the home delivery meals at this time but only a few on the waiting list.

“I want to encourage the members of our community who are age 60 and over to visit the Robert E. Barr Nutrition and learn more about the benefits of participation,” Vinson said. “The nutrition center is a great benefit to our community and we want to make sure that our residents take advantage of all we have to offer.”