On Monday, Rittenhouse Village at Portage traveled around the Region to present two $750 checks to the Bonner Senior Center and Maria Reiner Center, a pair of crucial resources for local seniors.
These two facilities offer food and transport as well as programs and activities that promote social and physical wellness to seniors around the community. Each week, these centers serve hundreds of people. Some drop by just to chat over lunch, while others might play some bocce ball or take a scrapbooking class.
“For a lot of these seniors, we’re their family,” said Janet Clem, Director of the Bonner Senior Center. “Some of them might not have family nearby or they want their own independence, so this is a great way to socialize with their peers.”
Rittenhouse has been donating to the two centers for over half a decade. The funds for the gift are always raised during their Vera Bradley bingo event, where players compete for Vera Bradley bags packed with items donated by local businesses.
“There’s nobody better to give this money to than the people we serve, and we serve seniors,” said Danielle Balek, Senior Lifestyle Counselor at Rittenhouse Village. “We’re here to help seniors find their next home if they’re in need, so we like to give back to these community resources that help us.”
The Maria Reiner Center and Bonner Senior Center both survive on public funding and small annual donations from their members. For the Bonner Center, Rittenhouse’s donation is equivalent to nearly a hundred new members.
“We count on partners like Rittenhouse for their support. We really couldn’t do what we do without them,” said Aimee Schallenkamp, Executive Director of the Maria Reiner Center. “These funds help us with things we need around the center throughout the year. We’re always trying to improve, and things like this help with furniture, supplies, and new programs.”
Clem shared Schallenkamp’s sentiments and noted how critical all of their community partners are even in day-to-day programming.
“We’re very lucky because people are so generous to our seniors,” she said. “This helps us fund different things around the center that aren’t in the budget, but are extra special for our seniors. Almost every day, one of our partners from around the community comes by for one activity or another.”
To learn more about Rittenhouse Village at Portage, visit www.rittenhousevillages.com/senior-living/in/portage/rittenhouse-village-at-portage. For more on the Bonner Senior Center or the Maria Reiner Center, visit www.portagetrustee.org/bonner-senior-center or www.hobartseniors.com.