Cordell Senior Citizen Center fundraiser set for this weekend

Cordell residents will soon get the chance to enjoy some great food while contributing to a local establishment as the Cordell Senior Citizen Center is hosting a fundraiser.

The event this weekend, which is sponsored by Ace Hardware, is put on as a way to help raise funds for the local senior center.

Residents will get to enjoy hot dogs/chili dogs, cookies, and a drink for $2.50 with all proceeds going to the center.

The center, like many others in the area, has faced financial difficulties as time goes on, with the pandemic having accentuated those difficulties even more.

“The center is always in need of funds,” manager Keith Young said. “We’ve managed to barely survive, but it's very difficult.”

The upcoming fundraiser is due to Ace Hardware manager BJ Taylor approaching Young and asking if Ace could sponsor the event after having local entities donate things such as hot dog buns and drinks for the event.

The money raised from the fundraiser will be put into a general fund for the center to use on whatever they need.

Young said he joined the center as the manager after seeing the need that is required and wanted to prevent the possibility of it ever having to close down.

Since joining, Young has worked to keep the center up and running by working with businesses and organizations in town to host fundraisers as well as applying for grants such as the one that allowed the center to purchase a new gas range and oven.

With the center serving anywhere from 250-300 meals a week, hosting the fundraiser is a necessity to continue to provide service to those who utilize it.

“We have to buy our groceries, and cost of groceries keeps going up. We have a cook and a helper there so they have to be paid,” Young said. “We have utilities and the city does help us with those, but it really gets tight from time to time.”

Recent efforts to stay properly funded have seen the center raise its meal price to $6 in recent months, a move that Young said was necessary to make.

Throughout all of the center’s efforts to provide its patrons with meals while staying financially stable, Young recognized that the center could not be where it is without the help of the community.

“Some people will make copies of the menu to share or publish. Some people cook desserts and donate them. Cookies or something like that to go with meals,” Young said. “If somebody wants to come down and offer to clean bathrooms, mop the floor, or those kind of things, I don't think we'd turn them down.… The community’s always been good.”

Individual donations from residents are also accepted by the center, and those interested in sponsoring a fundraiser, donating money, desserts, their time, or any other thing you may think could help the center, you can contact the Cordell Senior Citizen Center at 580-832-5031 or contact Young at 580-660-0415.

The upcoming fundraiser will take place Saturday, August 14 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Ace Hardware.

“We’d love to have them come out and eat some hot dogs and visit with us. While they're there, they're welcome to go in a store too!”