BROWNSTOWN — During an organizational meeting Wednesday, it was decided that the Brownstown Senior Citizens Center will be open five days a week, starting today.

Throughout the remainder of the year, the center will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Friday with the exception of Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

Brownstown Clerk-Treasurer David Willey attended the meeting and said money was not an issue in reopening the senior citizens center, which has been closed since before the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020.

He said the key issue with reopening the center was finding help to keep the doors open.

Jackson County United Way has provided funding for the center at 124 S. Main St in the past and will continue to do so, said Maci Baurle, the organization’s executive director.

Baurle, who attended the meeting, said she was excited about the turnout.

United Way also provides funding for senior citizens centers in Crothersville, Freetown, Medora and Seymour and for the Meals on Wheels America program that delivers meals to seniors.

Baurle said there is interest in trying to reestablish the meal site at Brownstown.

Thrive Alliance, which operated a meal site at the center until March 2018, also plans to provide federal funding through the Older Americans Act.

No programming has been scheduled for the center. In the past, seniors have played euchre, card games and bingo, worked on puzzles, watched movies and socialized. More activities will be planned as the center reopens.

Transportation is not currently available so seniors can be picked up or dropped off at the center, but a driver is being sought for future services. The center has a van available for that purpose.

The town owns the building where the center is housed. The town has rented the building out on occasions, and it is available for such rentals at this time.

With the reopening of the center, volunteers are being sought to help with operations and with the opening and closing of it each day. If interested, contact organizer Terry Jackson at 812-358-2578 or [email protected].