Seniors get double valentine

The Carson City Senior Citizens Center will be open Valentine's Day for a special breakfast and bingo.

"Our agreement with the Division of Aging Services requires the center be open 260 days a year," said Janice McIntosh, executive director.

"After construction forced the center to be closed Jan. 9, we must open another day to make up for our closure. The staff thought it would be nice to serve a great breakfast and celebrate Valentine's Day.

"The kitchen staff will prepare French toast, scrambled eggs, sausage or bacon, cinnamon rolls, fruit compote, and we'll have veggies on the side. Plus milk, coffee and tea."

Doors will open at 8 a.m., and breakfast will be served 8-9:30 a.m. Bingo will start at 10 a.m. and continue until noon or 1 p.m.

"The buy-in (for bingo) is nothing," McIntosh added. "It's going to be free. And we have some prizes we'll give away. Just a nice and easy day."

With construction ongoing until June or July, McIntosh does not know if the center will have to take another "construction day."

"We know they'll be taking air systems off the roof in April, but we don't know if we'll have to do this again."

Suggested donation for the breakfast is $2. If seniors bring a person younger than 60, the donation is $4. Seniors from other centers are also welcome.

The project is expected to be completed this summer. The expansion is more than 14,000 square feet, bringing the total space to 31,000 square feet.

The expansion is on 4.48 acres of donated Bureau of Land Management property. Former state Sen. Richard Bryan helped provide the land to the city for use for senior services.

The buildings will be connected with a hallway. A few stairs will be on one side, and a ramp for the disabled will be installed. The hallway leads to a courtyard with a sitting area, fountain and a brick memorial area in honor of late Carson City Supervisor Jon Plank. Extra parking will be included.

The addition will be the site for exercise groups, games, dances, art classes and fund-raisers. It will have a pick-up and drop-off area with a porte-cochere.

The existing building will be used for administration, kitchen and dining room.

"Metcalf Builders Inc. are construction managers, and they are doing a really good job of moving forward," McIntosh said. "This is a major, major project, and the on-site construction manager is as a busy as a bee."

Contact Rhonda Costa-Landers at rcosta-landers@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1223.