The Northern Wake Senior Center is the winner of the first annual Ann Johnson Senior Center Award for excellence in the field of aging. The award was presented to Miranda Strider-Allen with Resources for Seniors Wednesday at the center on East Holding Avenue during a volunteer and participation celebration Wednesday, Sept. 14. It had been announced by the North Carolina Senior Center Alliance during a symposium in Asheville.
What distinguishes the Northern Wake Senior Center? This is what the alliance newsletter said.
“Northern Wake Senior Center wanted to be an advocate; an educated and centralized resource providing a “voice and vision” for older adults in the Wake Forest community. They developed SING (Senior Information Networking Group) to accomplish this task, and as a result they are in the process of making Wake Forest a “dementia friendly community,” completing training for 15 businesses in the area with the assistance of Orange County.
“They are also providing a Dementia Education Awareness Series to the community in partnership with the Town of Wake Forest. The next Dementia Business and Agencies training is scheduled in partnership with “Dementia Friendly America” from Minnesota.”
Some other reasons are Northern Wake Senior Center has experienced a 21% increase in member growth in 2015-2016. It has a partnership with Wake Tech to offer beginner and advanced levels of computer classes as well as Spanish and art classes. The center has expanded its evidence-based programs to include Tai Chi for Arthritis Fall Prevention and recently participated in a year-long Westat Research study for Fit and Strong. It also offers Kibbles for a Cause an ongoing project that provides free dog and cat food to MOW clients and other seniors in need. Northern Wake has been a Center of Excellence since 2000.
“We are very proud of our seniors, volunteers and community partners that have helped our center accomplish many of our goals. We are truly thankful for their support,” Jerry Glenn, chairman of the center’s advisory board said.
The award is named in honor of the late Ann Johnson for her dedication, hard work and vision that helped pave the way for seniors and those who work with older adults. The annual awards go to senior centers making significant contributions that address and elevate issues important to the field of aging through advocacy or other methods that make a positive impact affecting older adults.
Johnson was a dynamic force in the service for older adults for nearly half a century. She migrated to North Carolina after World War II, where she was the first female member of the Boilermakers Union, working in a shipyard. Afterward she earned her master’s degree in social work.
For 23 years she was the executive director of the Durham Coordinating Council for Senior Citizens, pioneering the development of senior centers and adult day care programs. She served on the Governor’s Advisory Council on Aging under four governors and was chairman of the council from 1997 until near her death.
The Northern Wake Senior Center is housed in a building built in 1993 through the efforts of a group of older Wake Forest residents and is owned by the Town of Wake Forest, which will soon begin a significant building expansion.
The programming and staffing are done by Resources for Seniors.
