By Barbara Leitenberg

Most senior centers in Vermont are as old as or older than the seniors who frequent them. The buildings, though, do not have Medicare or other reliable sources of funding to help them with maintenance and repair costs. That's why Sen. Bernie Sanders' announcement last month of $196,000 for senior centers in Addison, Chittenden, Grand Isle, and Franklin counties is so critical.

"I'm a fan of senior centers," Sanders says. "They do a great job getting people out of their houses, offering good meals, affordable activities and attention paid when you're not feeling well." But he notes, many senior centers are located in old buildings and have expensive repair and maintenance costs for foundation work, roof replacement, and kitchen and heating upgrades.

This year's appropriation is Sanders' third in a series of senior center funding for infrastructure repairs. In the last two years, funds have been directed to centers in northeastern and central Vermont. In coming years, Sanders plans to get money to centers in southeastern and southwestern Vermont.

"It's rare to find a senior center with paid staff," says John Barbour, director of the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging. Senior centers rely on local fundraising and the occasional grant. There is no state appropriation. Town funding is limited. Some centers receive Older Americans Act funds for their meals programs through CVAA.

At their best, these centers provide seniors with a chance to socialize and engage in activities that are inexpensive, accessible and close-to-home, Barbour says. People also can get information about Medicare D, or join an art or exercise class, or find companionship after a spouse has died.

"But no activity is very attractive," says Barbour, "if the building is falling down around you."

Islands in the Sun Senior Center in Alburgh provides meals, exercise programs and bingo in a building built as a school in 1905. Since 1975, the center has leased the building from the town for one dollar a year. Although the meals program is supported through CVAA, all other expenses are covered by raffles and bingo.

"Bernie's funding is a great boost for us," says Evelyn Dubuque, 83. Now president of the senior center, she knows the building well because she was a pupil there when it was a school. "We really need a new roof," she says.

Franklin County Senior Center in St. Albans is also housed in an old school house -- this one dates back to the 1880s. "Over the last decade, we put in over $400,000 into this building," says director Jim Coutts. "Heating alone costs $9,000 each year. We do a lot of fundraising."

"We need to widen our doors for better handicapped access, repair our foundation and fix our wet basement," Coutts says. "These funds from Bernie are essential to keeping our doors open."

The Franklin center is open five days a week and boasts 800 members, half of whom are older than 75, most on fixed, limited incomes. There are 100 active volunteers, including 40 drivers for meals-on-wheels. With the help of CVAA, the center served about 28,000 meals in 2007. "Senior centers provide the best preventative care you can get," Coutts says.

Heineberg Community and Senior Center was built as a community center in Burlington's New North End in 1941. Although membership has doubled in the past year, and programs are varied and well-attended, "we are on shaky ground, financially," says director Gail Moreau.

A Community Development Block Grant recently helped the center replace its original vinyl floor. They plan to use the new federal appropriation to help pay for a new roof and an elevator. "We're just so grateful to Bernie," Moreau says.

In January, Burlington's City Council and Mayor Bob Kiss signed a resolution "to seek a substantial appropriation of approximately $75,000 within the FY 2009 budget (starting July 1) to address identified funding gaps" for Burlington's two senior centers. The issue of sustained annual funding has not been resolved.

Barbara Leitenberg writes about senior issues. For more information, call the Champlain Valley Agency on Aging at 800-642-5119.