Bigfork Community Center welcomes members for dine-in meals

On June 14, for the first time in over a year, the Bigfork Community Center opened its door, welcoming back members for dine-in meals — and more important than the food itself — an opportunity for human connection. The center shuttered March 13, 2020 due to the pandemic. It was a place that some members dined at three times a week and gathered for monthly potluck dinners and the occasional educational speaker. All that activity came to a halt, save for Meals on Wheels, which a handful of volunteers continued to distribute over the course of the pandemic.

Now that COVID-19 case numbers are down and more and more people are getting vaccinated, the center decided it was time to welcome the community back inside. Social coordinator Tanya Dowling said seven members stopped by on the day of the reopening.

“They just miss it,” Dowling said of the social environment the center provides. “They're here 20 minutes early reading the paper because they can’t wait for somebody else to come in.”

Over the course of the pandemic, Dowling said volunteers called members every so often to make sure they were doing OK and distributed bags of groceries courtesy of the Flathead Food Bank in addition to Meals on Wheels. Meals on Wheels is a program with a national footprint that delivers hot meals to homebound seniors. Before the virus hit, Bigfork’s program had around 15 subscribers, but over the last year that number more than doubled to as many as 40 participants. With more folks staying home, Dowling was happy to report that the number of drivers also increased, but even with shorter routes, the drivers were busy.

“I noticed that most of the drivers that go in and drop off the meals, they get stuck because the seniors just want to talk,” Dowling said. “They’re just so lonely.”

But as of mid-June, dine-in meals are back on. The center is open for lunch Monday, Wednesday and Fridays at 11:30 a.m. Meals are $4 for seniors and $6 for everyone else. She plans to schedule speakers once word gets out in the community that the center is open for business.

Member Bob Johnson said he received Meals on Wheels while the center was closed, but was happy to be able to dine communally.

“When you're old it's nice to have people to visit with,” Johnson said.

“The hardest part is not getting to do this … the fellowship, the storytelling, just spending time,” Brian McCully added. “Folks who are our age have some stories to tell.”

On Friday, June 25, a handful of members gathered around a table to exchange stories over plates of spaghetti.

Jack Meyer said he typically dines at the center two to three times each week and keeps coming back for the camaraderie.

Bud Robinson has been a member for the past 15 years and enjoys the meals in addition to a variety of activities which might include piano players, monthly potlucks and guest speakers.

“I've been a member for a long time,” he said. “I just enjoy eating down here.”

The Bigfork Community Center is located across the street from Bigfork Elementary School at 639 Commerce Street. The center can be reached at 837-4157.