SCOPE, Trumbull County’s senior services organization, has taken over management of the Hubbard senior center.
The move has been in the works for years, said Hubbard Mayor Ben Kyle and SCOPE Director Mike Wilson, but securing funding and working out the administrative plans have taken longer than either would have liked.
“We’ve had this building as a senior center for decades, and it was volunteer run,” Kyle said.
The building is at the rear of the Hubbard City Building, 220 W. Liberty St.
SCOPE, which stands for Senior Citizens Opportunity for Personal Endeavors, will offer a level of expertise that the volunteer group has not been able to provide, Kyle said.
The center gives SCOPE a presence on the east side of the county, Wilson said.
SCOPE centers in other parts of the county offer fitness programs, health checks, dancing, bible studies, bingo and other games and activities.
The programming for Hubbard hasn’t been set up, but it will work around the card club that has met in the building for years, Kyle said.
“We’re trying to create a good environment for seniors to be safe, mobile and to be happy,” Kyle said.
SCOPE assumed operations the first week of January, but officials held an open house Dec. 13 to introduce themselves to the community. Center Manager Carla Williams said she was “extremely happy” with the open house turnout.
“Everyone I’ve talked to is very excited to have this here and get some new programs going,” she said.
Open house attendees filled out surveys about the activities they would like to see at the center.
“It’s just endless really, whatever they want to do,” Williams said of the activities that could be planned.
The card club meets on Thursday mornings, and a ukulele group meets on Tuesday evenings. Information technology expert Kevin Weber will start planning visits to help seniors with their cellphone and computer issues.
“He’s had people hand him the box with the cellphone in it. ‘Help me. I don’t know what to do,’” Wilson said.
Weber added he is working to have Hubbard police come in when he talks about scams and malware.
Center hours are likely to be 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. weekdays, with some evening hours for special programs.
Any senior in Trumbull County aged 50 and up can came to the center and participate. Some programs have fees.
Meals are not provided in Hubbard – officials are working on that – but participants are invited to bring their own lunches.
The city of Hubbard provides the building, utilities and cleaning services.
“I hope this parking lot is full everyday,” Kyle said.
The telephone number to the SCOPE central office in Warren is 330-399-8846.
