UPDATE MAY 14, 2024
Because the rumor mill is still churning, here’s the main point of this article – the Senior Activity Centers are not closing.
The two locations in Saline County (one at The River Center in Benton and one at The Center at Bishop in Bryant) are under administration by Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC). That organization met on Monday night, May 13th, in 2024, to discuss whether they would continue their contract as the service provider to the Centers.
At no point was it ever discussed that the senior centers would close. They will not. In fact, most people who attend or use services by the senior center will not notice a difference at all.
The CADC board of directors voted Monday night to continue providing services until October 31, 2024, according to Sherry Parsons, Director at the Benton Senior Center. This window of several months gives CareLink time to find a new service provider for the two Centers. CareLink, the Area Agency on Aging for Central Arkansas, is a nonprofit agency providing resources for older people and their families, and the senior centers in Benton and Bryant are under their umbrella. If they don’t find a new service provider by that time, CareLink will itself become the service provider until they can find another one.
Once again, the Senior Activity Centers are not closing. Watch MySaline for any updates.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE MAY 7, 2024
There’s a rumor about the Benton and Bryant Senior Activity Centers, and then there’s the truth, and there’s also an upcoming meeting to decide what happens next. But first, here’s the most important part of this article… The Benton and Bryant Senior Activity Centers are NOT going to close.
Various people have contacted MySaline in the past week to inquire about the future of the program. I’m tempted to trace the origin of the rumor, but it’s not nearly as important as the truth.
KEEP READING BELOW
And the truth is the following: The Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) has been the administrator that facilitates the programs for the Senior Centers for years. The CADC is currently analyzing the budget to decide whether they will continue to be the administrator for the program, according to Sherry Parsons, the Director at the Benton Senior Activity Center.
The Board of Directors for CADC will meet soon to discuss the budget for the Senior Centers and decide whether to continue with the administration of the programs. The meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 13, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Benton location of the Senior Activity Center. That is located on the north end of the River Center, at 1800 Citizen Way, Benton, Arkansas, 72015. The meeting is open to the public.
The Benton and Bryant Centers are not alone in their quest for management. There are 6 other locations of Senior Activity Centers facilitated by CADC – Arkadelphia, Glenwood, Gurdon, Malvern, Mt. Ida and Murfreesboro.
Local elected officials have also been in attendance at meetings concerning this issue. State Senator Kim Hammer stated that he and the other Saline County Legislators have been there, staying updated, as well as the Benton and Bryant Mayors, and County Judge.
Care Link is the organization that disburses funding to the CADC for the Senior Centers, according to Sen. Hammer. If CADC decides not to continue with the administration of the Senior Centers, Hammer says Care Link will step in and facilitate that service. Care Link will also help to obtain another provider group if that becomes necessary.
Those inquiring about the Centers are justifiably concerned because of all the valuable benefits that are perceived to hang in the balance. The Senior Centers provide entertainment, community, and other vital services, including meals, rides, dancing, live music, games and more. But again, the most important part of this article is that while the CADC may not remain a part of the Centers, those programs will remain and the Senior Centers will NOT close.