Southport Magazine

Guests take part in Southport Senior Center’s Middle Eastern dance class, just one of the unique activities offered by Brunswick Senior Resources, Inc. Courtesy photo

By: Susan Whitley, director of the Southport Senior Center

Is it possible to so elaborately describe a senior center in such a way to convince you it is a wonderland of fun, food and friends? That’s not quite what most individuals think of the term “senior center.”  In fact, my own mother-in-law is never a “senior” until there’s a discount involved. Recently, she has decided to participate at her local senior center.

To the contrary of most popular thinking, the senior centers in Brunswick County are indeed that wonderland. They are not any adjective one can use to describe the word “old.” One participant stated to me, “These definitely aren’t my grandmother’s crafts,” when talking about the craft class that is offered at the Southport Center. Coasters, wall mosaics, and mirrors are amongst the up-cycle crafts they are doing with recycled, no-cost materials guests have at home.

Look in the media: Seniors today lead a more active lifestyle. Recent stories in the news included many who run, row, fish, and much more. Seniors are on the go! In trying to keep up with this active pace, the senior center’s offerings, just to name a few, include: activities, events, fairs, exercise classes, educational programs, crafts, cards, board games, books, puzzles, magazines, newspapers, dance classes, social activities, presentations, and much more.

We are also here for seniors when they need us.  We offer services such as Meals On Wheels to those who are homebound, congregate lunches, information and assistance, heat relief, durable medical equipment for loan, family caregiver support…pretty much any problem seniors may have, we will do our best to find a way to help. Age requirements do apply to some services. Activities are free for those over 60, and $2 per class fee is charged for those who are under 60.

My description would not be complete if I didn’t address our need for volunteers. Do you have a talent you would love to share? A class you could teach? Want to deliver meals, help answer the phone, do clerical tasks, or greet individuals? We really need your help. Please contact us. September is National Senior Center Month, and there is no better time than now to get involved!

An everyday occurrence for me at the Southport Center is to hear, “This is such a wonderful place and more people should take advantage of it!” My words have not done our centers justice! Have you stopped by your local center recently? If not, I urge you to come by and sneak a peek. If you have been meaning to stop by, please do—we would love to see you! We will give you a tour and a listing of upcoming events. I can speak for the other center directors, as well as myself; we would enjoy meeting you! Nothing makes us feel better about what we do on a daily basis than to see the need to bust the walls down because we have no space left!

For those of you who didn’t know this was in your community, you can find us at:

Southport Senior Center
1513 N. Howe St., Ste. 1, Southport, behind Wingate Inn
Center Director: Susan Whitley
(910) 754-2300
Office Hours 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Shallotte Senior Center
540 Main St., Shallotte
Center Director: Anne Gass
(910) 754-8776
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Leland Senior Center
1490 Village Rd. NE, Leland, inside Leland Park
Center Director: Janice Solarez
(910) 371-3560
Office Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Activity hours vary—please see the calendars at each location (available at the BSRI website, here).