Janet Clem, Director of the Bonner Senior Center in Portage, has been working to enrich the daily lives of seniors since she moved from the Portage Township Trustee’s Office to the Bonner Senior Center in 1992.
“I’m so lucky to get up every day and come to work,” she said. “Over the years I’ve learned so much from these from these seniors. It’s incredible!”
“Seniors have changed in the time I’ve been here,” she continued. “It’s a different generation. So many of them are looking for more activities and are more worried about their health. Fitness has become so important and I hear so many of our members say ‘I’ve got to keep moving!’.”
The Bonner Center has worked hard to deliver on these requests. Five days a week there are fitness classes, yoga, and Zumba going on, and twice a week they have dancing in the afternoon.
“We have around thirty-five people who regularly show up for dancing and they absolutely love it,” said Clem. “I’ve even see them dancing to Lady Gaga!”
Health, nutrition, and staying informed are top priorities at the Bonner Center. Members regularly have the opportunity for free blood pressure checks, flu vaccines, bone density screenings and cholesterol tests. Frequent guest speakers are brought in as well to keep these seniors informed on medical and health related issues, legal services, and community happenings.
The social environment the Center creates has been so valuable to many of its members.
“Many of these seniors depend on one another,” said Clem. “And even after they leave they reach out to each other. It’s so great for them to be able to come here and build relationships.”
In one form or another, the Bonner Senior Center has been working to improve the health and wellness of seniors since the early 1970’s. Eunice Bonner began the work by starting a senior club in Portage -- first using the YMCA, then Woodland Park -- that grew over the years until, ultimately, in 1979, John Williams, former Portage Township Trustee, oversaw the purchase of their current site, and construction of the center as we know it. Along with the building of the Bonner Center, the township had the wisdom to purchase a bus to help transport its members to and from the Center each day.
“For many seniors driving isn’t an option or becomes more difficult each year,” said Clem, “so we’re very fortunate to be able to get people here safely.”
Having buses and drivers means the Bonner Center is able to go beyond just transporting members to Center and back home though. “On Fridays, we take our members to Walmart to shop in the morning and then to the grocery store in the afternoon,” Clem added. This helps to assure that these seniors will have everything they need and won’t have to deal with the hassle of finding a dependable ride or risk the journey on their own. The Center also plans monthly trips as far away Shipshewana for shopping, and Chicago to see the Cubs play. There are also plans in the works to visit Ireland and London in the near future.
Along with the daily transportation, the Center provides a medical transport service ready to take its members to doctors and pharmacies as far away as Hobart and Valparaiso.
Brenden Clancy, current Portage Township Trustee who oversees the Bonner Senior Center, was very excited about the work the township has done and their big plans for the future.
“We’re so lucky to have the Bonner Center in our area,” he said. “There’s so much more we can do!” The Center is readying itself for some upcoming additions and expansions. “We are adding a four seasons room to expand our activities area, as well as a technology space where we’ll have some computers set up for our members to use and learn on,” Clancy said.
“There has been an increase in memberships since we’ve built up our infrastructure and that’s only going to continue as our senior population increases,” he continued. “We have around 700 members currently, and we serve around eighty lunches every day, so adding these new areas will make us better equipped to get the most out of all the activities we offer. Recently we added three new wheelchair accessible buses too, which helps us get more people here no matter what the circumstances. The Bonner Senior Center is one of the best around and these additions will only improve an already amazing place.”
Membership to the Bonner Senior Center is $10/year for Portage Township residents; $20/year for non-Portage Township Residents.