“The Maria Reiner Center is home away from home for many members of the Senior Community here in Hobart,” Director Pam Broadaway stated.
Located in the New Police Station at 705 E. 4th Street, it occupies what many would recognize as the school library area when it was the middle school!
They are open from 8am to 4:30pm Monday thru Friday. There is a membership fee of $25.00 for Hobart residents and $40.00 for non-residents. This is quite the bargain for the year when you consider the many programs that you can participate in at the MRC.
When you enter you will immediately see tables laden with flyers that tell about the many activities you can join at the center. Want to play cards? Well, you can play Texas Hold’em, Euchre, Pinochle, Bridge and others. Maybe you like to play Cribbage or Bingo. Well, they have that too! There are exercise classes, Zumba, Tai Chi, Yoga; you can join the book club or check out the art classes or watch a cooking demonstration. Maybe you like to toss bags or play ping pong? They have that, too. There is also a Walking club, Biking Club, Dinner Club, and Travel Club. Don’t see a club you are interested in… then start one up yourself!
There are many health classes the members can attend such as blood pressure screenings, glucose testing, and bone density screenings. They also have presentations on health issues such as Alzheimer’s, exercise and nutrition, and aging in the brain.
During the summer the Hobart Community Pool always seniors to swim free on Mondays and Wednesdays from 10am to 11am.
Seniors can attend programs to learn about how to watch for fraud and scams that many seniors fall victim to. You can be a part of the Safety Call network where you can have a daily call placed to your residence to verify your well being. You can learn about social security and Medicare issues. Member care services can help call to check on members that have had surgery or health issues to see how they are doing and if they need any assistance. Emergency cell phones are distributed to those members without cell phones for 911 emergency calls.
There is a free transportation service members can sign up for as well.
Many of the Hobart businesses help support the MRC through donations of supplies for their meals or sponsor a meal. In July, Brentwood of Hobart, Rittenhouse and Millers Merry Manor were soup sponsors. Thursday is Soup Day at the Center. It is served on Thursdays from 11:00am to 1:00pm. For $3.00 you can partake in a delicious lunch prepared by volunteers and sponsors. Breakfast at the MRC is on Tuesdays. Purchase a ticket for $3.00 and joint in the great food and company from 9:00am to 11:00am. Some of the breakfast sponsors have been Meridian Title, College of Court Reporting and Hobart Police Department.
There are classes that will help you with your French or Spanish. There are computer classes that will help with in many ways such as purchasing a new computer, working on spreadsheets in Excel, how to navigate in email, working with digital pictures and fixing a sick computer. The computer classes are conducted by Ivy Tech Instructors.
There is a movie room in the center where you can come to watch a schedule of movies all starting at 1:00pm.
Even though the Senior Center has all these clubs and activities, sometimes it is a place where the members just come to relax. You can check out the “wish list” and see if you have something to bring in to help out the center. Or check out who sponsored the meals at the center and make sure you try to keep them in mind when you are in need of a service or supply. The Senior Center is a great place to come and visit with your friends and enjoy their company along with a meal or an activity or two.
The Maria Reiner Center will be having an open house on October 13 from 1pm to 4pm. Free refreshments will be served. Everyone should come out and see for themselves all the activities, programs, etc. that they offer and see how welcoming everyone at the center is.