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Warren County Senior Center filled plates and hearts

Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story, we misspelled the last name of Ofelia Wynn as Ofelia “Wind,” and we left out some identifying information of the woman pictured with her in the photo, merely identifying her as a volunteer. We have since corrected the spelling of Wynn’s name and added the name of the woman pictured with her and the fact she is a meal delivery driver. The Talisman regrets the error. 

For the past 20 years, the Warren County Senior Center has been serving seniors within the Bowling Green community. From providing home-delivered and congregate meals to hosting a variety of events, the center has become a staple in the lives of many seniors. 

Special events are planned for holidays, one being a Thanksgiving lunch on Nov. 27. By 8:30 a.m. volunteers were preparing the home-delivered meals behind the scenes. About 40 meals were carefully proportioned with Thanksgiving classics such as turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie to be delivered through one of the several delivery routes. 

Once finished preparing the food, the festivities shifted into the main gathering area at the center, where a traditional Christmas tree was decorated with turkeys and statements of thanks. As more seniors arrived, the serving area became filled with various homemade dishes and the room swelled with friendly conversation. As they waited, the seniors reminisced by listening to a reading of “The Land That Made Me, Me” and occupied themselves with word searches, in between snacking on senior volunteer Jerry Bray’s fantastic cucumber sandwiches. Once lunch was served, the food seemed to disappear as quickly as it appeared. Veterans, grandchildren, volunteers and others gathered to stuff themselves with the Thanksgiving delicacies and enjoy each other’s company. As the meal wrapped up and individuals began to leave, smiles and hugs were exchanged, each full of thanks for each other and the time they shared.


Manager of the Warren County Senior Center Bridget Lutenski (left) and volunteer Julie Kratts help pack home-delivered Thanksgiving dinners on Wednesday, Nov. 27. The dinners are prepared and delivered to home-bound seniors who are unable to cook for themselves due to disabilities.
Jan Kuhr (center) jokes with Lee Emberton (left) and Janie Guthrie as Emberton and Guthrie enjoy their Thanksgiving lunch. Kuhr has been volunteering at the center for four years and plans events such as the Thanksgiving lunch.

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Ofelia Wynn hugs Donna Crabtree, one of the senior center’s meal delivery drivers, as she joins the lunch. The center gives the seniors a place to socialize and a place to be a part of a community.
Janie Guthrie (left) embraces her good friend Barbara Bray (right) before leaving the Thanksgiving lunch. Barbara and her husband, Jerry, volunteer at the center by helping plan events and making homemade decorations.