Prime Time Senior Center getting ready for grand reopening Friday

STEUBENVILLE -- After having been closed for more than a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Prime Time Senior Center at 300 Lovers Lane, Steubenville, will open its doors on Friday for a grand reopening celebration.

"Prime Time Office on Aging, a division of Trinity Health System, has been closed for 16 months to its membership, and we are more than ready to welcome the public back to our beautiful campus," commented Trudy Wilson, director.

"Our grand reopening celebration will have a few surprises, lots of food, prizes, vendors, live entertainment, a DJ, and more prizes," Wilson said. "There is no charge for anything during the entire day. Everyone is invited -- you don't have to be a member to come and enjoy the grand reopening celebration," she added.

The schedule for Friday is:

* 9-10 a.m.: Bingo;

* 10-11 a.m.: Bingo prizes and tours of the newly renovated facility;

* 11-11:45 a.m.: lunch No. 1 with entertainment and door prizes;

* Noon-12:45 p.m.: Lunch No. 2 with entertainment and door prizes;

* 1-2 p.m.: More prizes and entertainment; and

2:15 p.m.: Vans leave to return Prime Timers home.

Although lunch is free, a reservation is required by calling (740) 314-5197.

Throughout the day, seniors may register for new memberships, renew old memberships, visit vendor tables set up on the front lawn under the big tent, sign up for programs and classes, register for meal programs andcheck out books from the Public Library of Steubenville and Jefferson County's Bookmobile.

"Although Prime Time has continued to provide home-delivered meals, congregate 'Grab-n-Go' lunches and transportation services to the senior adults of Jefferson County, we have not been able to welcome people for socialization, fun,and interaction within our walls for quite some time," Wilson said. "Socialization for senior adults is such a critical aspect of good health and well-being, and the senior adults of Jefferson County have not been exempt in missing the interaction with their friends during the time we were closed," she emphasized.

"Although closed for programs inside the building, Prime Time still provided free meals and transportation to any qualified senior adult in Jefferson County 60 and older. These particular services are free to Jefferson County seniors and are partly funded through the Area Agency on Aging and the Jefferson County senior levy. The financial support of these two agencies enable us to provide these critical services to good health and nutrition that seniors often lack," Wilson continued.

"Prime Time will end its fiscal year in June, having provided more than 210,000 meals and approximately 9,000 transportation services to the senior adults in Jefferson County," Wilson pointed out. "Without these critical services, many elderly residents would not have adequate food or the ability to go to doctors' appointments, pharmacies, grocery stores, etc."

She added, "It is a comfort to know there is an organization in Jefferson County that provides the services needed by senior adults to stay healthy and lead full active lives as they age."

Prime Time will reopen for regular activities on July 6 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. On July 5, the center will be closed for the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

The center's normal hours are 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The phone number is (740) 314-5197. The website is primetimejeffersoncounty.com. There is a Facebook presence at facebook.com/PrimeTimeOfficeOnAging.