Senior center aims to rebrand as community center

When Maggie Pontius celebrated her 100th birthday at the Bigfork Community Center, it was a celebration on several fronts.

The center was where she started the first library in Bigfork in 1972. The center, across the street from Bigfork Elementary School, is rebranding itself as a community center — not just a senior center.

“We are a community center. People often confuse us with the Lakeview Care center,” Michele Shapero, director of the community center, said. “It’s really the Bigfork community center.”

Flathead County owns the building. The tenants pay a $1 annual lease.

Each week dozens of meals are served to anyone who wants a good healthy meal from the county’s Meals on Wheels. The meals are Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at noon. The cost per meal is estimated to be $4.25. For people 60 and over, the center ask for a donation. Shapero said most people pay on average $3. The second Thursday of each month is a pot luck.

The community center was originally the home of a local family. They donated the building to Flathead County. The facility is available for organizations to rent. There’s a billiard room and adjoining library with books from the original Bigfork library. “There’s quite a bit of history in this building,” Shapero said.

This spring Soroptimists International of Bigfork used the building to do a community outreach. They offered free hand massages during Pontius’ birthday celebration.

The center also offers dinners on Thanksgiving, Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day. “I’m always looking for people to teach art classes, or whatever,” Shapero said. “The center is for the community.”

 While it is a community center, the center does cater to seniors. Volunteers deliver meals to seniors who are unable to leave their homes. Sometimes they’ll serve people for a small amount of time after an accident. There was a couple who was in a head on collision they served with meals on wheels for six months. Now that couples sometimes comes into the center for lunch, Shapero said.

Shapero has been in the position for three years. When she took the job “the place was a mess,” she said. It was filled with things people had donated, and then nothing had been done with those items.

The home has undergone extensive renovations, with new flooring and carpet throughout the building.

The remodeling was funded with grants and donations, Every room as been completely redone. They recently finished the billiard room, with a $1,000 grant from the Community Foundation for a Better Bigfork that bought new carpeting. The room had been carpeted with sample squares of carpet. “Everyone who comes through here is amazed at how bright and clean it is,” she said.

She would love to offer more activities, but really needs a higher membership to offer more.

There are usually about 10 people who come to lunch. They eat when the siren goes off, and are done in about 20 minutes.

“It’s really hard to build any programs around that,” she said.

She’s tried doing a movie night, that didn’t go over well.

Shapero encourages people to check the center’s event calendar and get involved.

They have a monthly newsletter that is eimailed, and if anyone is interested in receiving it they should e-mail or call her.

This year the community center will have a float in the July 4 parade and a barbecue afterward.

Shaper was planning on putting in a community garden this year, but that plan was delayed.  

If someone wants to hold a class or host a game night or any kind of activity, just let Shapero know.

“I’d like to see it get used all the time,” she said. “I’ve got the space.”

They have quarterly driver safety classes for seniors The next class is Aug. 12.

“I just want to see smiling happy faces here,” she said.

For information on the Bigfork Community Center, call Shapero at 837-4157 or e-mail bfsc@montanasky.net.