In 1968, Jim Wilson, owner and editor of the Murray Ledger and Times, approached the Murray Women’s Club with the idea of starting an organization which would offer services of various importance to the elderly residents of Calloway County.  After discussing the plausibility and need for such an agency, the plans for the Murray Calloway County Senior Citizens agency were drawn up.

The  agency began operation in June 1972 and was originally funded by a grant under Title III of the Older American’s Act of 1965.  This grant has been renewed in succeeding years.  The current Title III grant is administered by the Purchase Area Development District and Vicki Williams is the Aging Planner for the Purchase area.

In January 1975, the organization entered into a program administration contract with the Bureau for Social Services, Department for Human Resources.  This contract was for the provision of services funded under Title VI of the Social Security Act.  October 1, 1975 Title VI was replaced with Title XX.  Also, in January 1975, the Murray Calloway County Senior Citizens was incorporated as a private non-profit corporation.  In both employee and client relations, the agency complies with all civic rights laws. 

The general overall purpose of the agency is to provide services to senior citizens in order to help prevent institutionalization and help the individuals live self-sufficiently in their own homes.

The Senior Citizens Board is the decision-making body and it is composed of representatives from the community and closely related organizations.  The Executive Director is employed full-time and has the responsibility of supervising all other employees and volunteers.

In the beginning, the Senior Citizen’s office was housed in various locations with the greatest amount of time spent inside St. John’s Episcopal Church.  It had several satellite sites.  Some sites were the Douglas, Ellis, Hazel, and Dexter centers.  There were area directors in charge of providing services to their prospective part of the county.  In 1991, the office and senior center were located together in the Weaks Community Center.  Also, the Hazel Center was still in operation.  Late 1999, the Hazel Center was closed due to low attendance.  December 5, 2000 the Weaks Community Center building was destroyed by fire.  The Senior Center moved to 1st Methodist Church for three days, Woodmen of the World for six months, then to St. Leo’s Catholic Church for two years.  In May 2003, we returned to the new and improved Weaks Community Center.

 Here is a list of the directors since inception.  The dates that they served are approximate.  

Verona Grogan        1972 to 1975

Alan Blaustine          1975 to 1977

Tripp Thurman          1978 to 1985

Jacqueline Conley    1985 to 1991            

Verona Grogan         1991 to 1992            

Eric Kelleher             1992 to 1997

Randy Smith             1997 to 1999            

Eric Kelleher             1999 to present*      
*Voted Senior Center of the Year in 2001
 


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