Gateway Center and Weakley County Aging Office receive grants

Gateway Center of Martin

Weakley County Senior Citizens Center

story by Senior Investigative Reporter Shannon Taylor

The Gateway Center in Martin and The Weakley County Office on Aging in Dresden both received $8,000 grants this week from The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability’s Executive Director James Dunn and Tennessee State Representative Tandy Darby.

Dunn spoke on the grants stating, “the General Assembly decided to put money into the budget for us and tasked the commission on aging with creating competitive grants. You all were awarded one and we get to go around to all 95 counties and see folks-not everybody is getting a check, but you folks are, and it is really because of Representative Darby and others in the General Assembly who secured that money in the budget and made it possible. These places in the community are so very important to what we do.”

Darby said, “I appreciate what you all do-it’s the engagement with which you all use these facilities, and the money will be put in the right places. I appreciate everyone involved here that put out a helping hand.”

Weakley County Office on Aging Director Gail Rogers plans to use the money for food, specifically hot meals, as well as her Senior Prom she put on every year and Director of Gateway Center Ali Stalter said that she plans on using the money for outings with the seniors to cover food and shows that they will go see.