The Woodland Senior Enrichment Group nonprofit will celebrate its first anniversary this month, marking a year of building community and creating opportunities for seniors to connect, learn and support one another.
The group will mark its first anniversary with a party from 2 to 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 22, at the Woodland Community Center, 782 Park St. The free event will feature refreshments, door prizes, displays of the group’s accomplishments and recognition for volunteers.
“It’s just a celebration that we’re here, we’re here to stay, and we just want to reach more people that can utilize our services,” Bunger said.
The group was founded to promote social interaction, education and community engagement for the area’s elderly population. Early last year, a woman posted in a local Facebook group asking if the area had any activities or a senior center for her mother, who was moving to town. The post sparked a community-wide conversation, revealing that while some scattered offerings were available, no local organized group dedicated to senior activities was offered.
Woodland Senior Enrichment Group Vice President Vikki Bunger explained that the group’s origins stemmed from that conversation.
“We felt that there was a need in the community for a senior group,” Bunger said. “We’ve always felt that it’s important for seniors to have socialization and a place to meet, and it just kind of snowballed from there.”
The group began organizing in June 2023 and hosted its first activities that September. In its early months, it offered 10 to 12 hours of planned weekly events. Today, that number has grown to between 18 and 22 hours, plus additional activities held outside the community center.
“We’ve grown a lot,” Bunger said. “We’ve gotten nothing but positive response from our people, and we still feel that it’s a real need.”
The group does not have a formal membership, instead encouraging seniors to attend when they can. Attendance fluctuates seasonally but has steadily increased since the first events.
“There are still a lot of people we run into all the time that don’t even know that we exist,” Bunger said. “(We’re) trying to figure out how to reach out to the community and get the word out.”
In its first year, the Woodland Senior Enrichment Group has launched a range of programs, including chair yoga, walking groups, craft meetups and a widows’ support circle. The latter, Bunger said, has been particularly impactful.
“Several of the ladies that belong to this have said that it’s just been phenomenal for them to be able to share how they’re feeling,” she said. “Most of them have been married for a long period of time, so it’s been quite an adjustment for them.”
Community projects have also been part of the group’s mission. Participants made patriotic pillowcases for veterans, hosted a strawberry shortcake booth during Planters Days and organized a summer market. The group hopes to continue hosting the “memorial ornaments” program honoring longtime locals who have passed away.
Partnerships with the Woodland Community Library, local businesses and the city have supported the group’s growth, but Bunger said its top priority remains finding a permanent building.
“It’s definitely our top goal,” she said. “Right now we function mainly out of the community center, so we’re not allowed to leave any of our things up. And because we’re not spring chickens, that’s kind of wearing on us too.”
Future plans include expanding class offerings, serving seniors in nearby communities without senior centers and becoming a hub for information and resources.
“We want it to be kind of an information center,” Bunger said. “If they have a question, we may not be able to answer it, but we can give them a service where they could get that information from.”
Those interested in learning more or volunteering can email seniorinfo55up@yahoo.com or visit the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/groups/523080003622004/.
