by Elizabeth Farina, MidlothianExchange.com

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Tenacious is a good way to describe the Chesterfield Senior Center members. The group, who has gone through numerous changes over the last few years after losing a location to call their own, has succeeded in establishing a center to call home in Midlothian.

“Art Warren has said many times he’d like to have a senior center in his district and now he does,” said Ann Duffer in her opening remarks during the center’s breakfast celebration with center members, county staff and elected officials. 

One of the startling statistics Duffer referred to was in 1945, eight babies were born every minute. “Now, every minute eight of them become seniors,” she said.

The Chesterfield Senior Center, located at The Church of Our Saviour at 4000 Stigall Dr., in Midlothian, opened its doors this month to its 100-plus membership. Recognition was bestowed on the Davoud family and their family-owned Richmond business, Old Dominion Insulation, for providing approximately $20,000 in funds for renovations and materials to update the bathroom, enlarge the foyer, and put in extra additions for easy access to the building.

Jeff and Chris Davoud proudly credited Roddy Davoud, president of the company, as the man behind the scenes and their grandmother Evelyn Collier, who they lovingly referred to as ‘memaw,’ as applying gentle pressure for support of the project. They continued to thank others for support and assistance during the construction project.

“We like to thank Laurence Dockery, who was here everyday, at least 100 hours and Scott Armstrong who coordinated the contractors,” said Jeff Davoud, now a board member of the Chesterfield Senior Center. “We have a game plan for raising funds in the future to have our own existing building…We realize grandparents want to be active and we want young people to get involved.”

The Chesterfield Senior Center provides an opportunity for members to gather and participate in various weekly activities from the traditional social Bingo and other games to Low Impact exercise and “Sit & Be Fit” programs. They also have special interest activities such as Pins & Needles/Coffee & Chat, movie and popcorn, as well as off-site lunch, breakfast and water aerobics activities. Membership to the Chesterfield Senior Center is free and cost is only incurred if there are activity fees. 

Edith Smith, a long-time member of the Chesterfield Senior Center, noted that although finding a place for the center has been a great uphill struggle, it was the good things the group emphasized that kept the center’s progress moving forward. “We brushed aside those differences for more important things,” Smith said.

The senior center has obtained their non-profit status through the assistance and writing skills of Martha Dockery. “Our thanks is beyond words because of what she wrote, and now we have our non-profit 501(c)3 because of Martha’s work,” Smith added.

Another center member added that the late Dorothy Charles, a longtime member of the church who donated the property where the church now stands, always wanted to see a senior center and would have been proud.

Also, the senior center members were thankful for LuAnn Paul, resident director with Elmcroft Pointe of Chesterfield. “LuAnn made a place for us to be welcome,” Smith said. “We were evicted with short notice and the people at Elmcroft gave us a place to be and have been a blessing to us.”

LuAnn responded, “The blessing was ours.”

For more information and hours of the Chesterfield Senior Center, call (804) 767-6295.