COA

After years of planning, the $2.6 million Enrichment Center in Sturgis is ready for business following a ceremonial grand opening last week. Located adjacent to the Doyle Center on the east side of the city, the Enrichment Center was praised Friday by county and municipal dignitaries, Commission on Aging officials and dozens of other guests. COA executive director Lynn Coursey …

St. Joseph County was chosen for a pilot program through the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards. The group was recently awarded a $4.2 million grant from the Michigan Health Endowment Fund to support 12 initiatives aimed at improving the quality of health for seniors. According to officials from the Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services of St. …

Representatives from the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging will open the new Sturgis senior citizen center on April 8. Lynn Coursey, COA executive director, said the event is being planned in conjunction with Sturgis Area Chamber of Commerce and will include a ribbon cutting at 5 p. m., followed at 7 p.m. by a ticketed event that serves as …

The start of a possible addition to the county courthouse, continued development of the county’s river trail concept and a potential upgrade to the animal-control facility are a few matters St. Joseph County government officials are looking toward in 2016. The opening of a Commission On Aging senior center in Sturgis early in the year also was recognized as another …

Construction of the new Sturgis senior center is on track for an early-March move-in, according to St. Joseph County Commission On Aging officials. Furthermore, COA officials said there may be a buyer for the current Paul Cassault Center, the longtime Sturgis home of south-county senior services. Lynn Coursey, COA executive director, said the new site under construction on North Franks …

Sixteen St. Joseph County restaurants were paid more than $193,000 last fiscal year for nearly 30,000 meals they served to senior citizens participating in a Commission on Aging-sponsored nutrition program. The restaurant program served nearly 1,800 clients last fiscal year and is one part of the COA’s efforts to offer nutrition services to St. Joseph County’s 60-and older population. The …

St. Joseph County Commission on Aging officials stated last week they will continue to allocate nearly $17,000 for senior mental-health services next fiscal year. But, they told the county’s mental health agency not to count on any additional funding. Lynn Coursey, COA executive director, said her agency’s 2015-16 budget continues the mental-health-services allocation despite recent concerns over St. Joseph County …

Six people were recently reappointed to serve on the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging Board. County commissioners agreed to reappoint Allen Balog, Barbara Fisher, Charles Thompson, Dawn Everett, Jim MacTavish and Joseph Heivilin. Their terms will expire June 30, 2017. In an unrelated matter, county commissioners approved permission to fill the position of probation officer following the resignation of …

The St. Joseph County Commission on Aging board has asked county commissioners to reappoint Dawn Everett, Allen Balog, Jim MacTavish, Chuck Thompson and Barb Fisher to new two-year COA board terms. In a related matter, trustees re-appointed officers including Margaret Shultz, chairman; Jon Withers, vice chairman; Charles Willer, treasurer; and Thompson as secretary.

A ceremonial ground breaking took place Tuesday for the South County Community Enrichment Center. County, municipal and commission on aging dignitaries gathered at the Sturgis site for a 20-minute program that included the ceremonial dirt-turning. Making comments to the crowd of about 30 people were Sturgis Mayor Ken Malone, Three Rivers City Manager Joe Bippus, St. Joseph County Commissioner Don …