Last Wednesday’s public supper was canceled due to the weather. But that was February and this is March. The days are longer, Daylight Savings Time starts this weekend and in a couple of weeks it will be officially spring.

The auto racing world is getting into full swing. Even the local tracks are beginning to stir, anticipating a new season. Any snow we get in March and April melts quickly and can be more of that proverbial “poor man’s fertilizer” then a nuisance. Some days it can get into the 40’s and even higher. What could be better? All is well with the world.

But not everything is well. There are some problems at the Senior Center. The Senior Center Finance Committee supported submitting a flat budget for the next fiscal year. Then the town manager asked that certain amounts be adjusted to reflect current attendance. The town manager also asked the Senior Center to reduce its budget just like all town departments. So the budget was tweaked and submitted.

Previously the Senior Center Finance Committee submitted its report to the trustees. The report is included in the March Newsletter. I urge you to read it. Basically it says that the budget cannot keep going like this and that the Senior Center must be revised and reinvigorated. Now with a lowered budget, it is more imperative that changes are made.

Currently the major part of the budget is for the meal program. Also the meal program is the keystone or lead domino of the Senior Center. If the meal program is ended without a plan for what to do next, the whole Senior Center is gone.

Now you are probably saying, yeah one more group needs money. The federal, state, county, and local governments need more funds or need to cut budgets, so what is new? Well, yes the Senior Center’s immediate problem is financial but the real problem is the lack of support and involvement of people 50 years old and older in the greater Wiscasset area.

If the meal program ended there would be only a few who would miss it. However, without a plan for the future the Senior Center would just come apart. The Community Center would probably allow the cribbage tournaments and the Crafty Friends to continue but they would also want to have the former Senior Center Dining room make a profit, so all this might end too.

The plan is to create a small committee to come up with a multi-year plan that the trustees can approve and implement. This committee would work with all interested people and develop a plan that can be discussed with the membership at the annual breakfast in June. I’m committed to seeing the Senior Center continue, are you? Will you get involved?

The cribbage tournament winners on Tuesday, Feb. 26 were Keith Bridgham first, Ron Bodge second, Larry Roy low score and Marlene Rines high hand. The cribbage tournament winners on Thursday 2/28 were Linden Simmons first, Luis Serrano second, Robbie Greenleaf low score and Luis Serrano high hand.

Meals for next week

Reservations, please! Call 207-882-8230 at least two days in advance for meal reservations.

Tuesday, March 12 – Lunch, Pork schnitzel

Wednesday, March 13 – Dinner, Roasted pulled pork

Thursday, March 14 – Lunch, Grilled Reuben