Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
10 <br /> Happy Circle Club, with predominately Black membership. The Southern <br /> Orange multi-use building looks institutional. It is neither user-friendly in <br /> design nor attractive. Parking is limited. The volunteer leadership is the <br /> Golden Age Happy Circle Club and its officers. The center programming has <br /> been primarily for low-income and older minority seniors. Morning programs <br /> (Arts/Crafts, exercise, speakers), a luncheon, and minimal afternoon activities <br /> are provided. The Center partially meets a need of those who have been <br /> attending for many years. It is not visible nor accessible and it needs <br /> improvement. <br /> The Chapel Hill Senior Center. This Center is located in the Galleria shopping <br /> center just off 15-501 Highway, the busiest traffic artery in Chapel Hill. It is the <br /> newest (established in 1991) and largest center occupying 12,000 sq.ft. The <br /> space is divided into a reception area, a manager's office, a courtyard, a kitchen, <br /> a lounge area, an auditorium and three meeting/activity rooms. In addition, the <br /> Center houses program offices for RSVP, a Wellness Center, Information and <br /> Case Assistance, and the administrator of all the senior centers. It is the only <br /> free-standing center in the county and is identified by large outdoor wall sign. <br /> Chapel Hill Township has the highest concentration of older adults and this <br /> Center is by far the most used facility, averaging over 200 people a day. The <br /> Center is a public-private partnership involving the County, the Town of Chapel <br /> Hill, and the Friends of the Chapel Hill Senior Center. The Friends is a <br /> non-profit organization of primarily senior citizens who raise funds, promote <br /> awareness of the center and serve as volunteers for center functions. They <br /> provide funds for center renovations and contribute one-third the rent. The <br /> Town of Chapel Hill provides funds to cover the center's utilities and <br /> maintenance, plus leisure programming at the center. The County Department <br /> on Aging provides center staffing, programming and two-thirds the rental <br /> expense ($59,496 in 1995) and some of the maintenance. <br /> Facility Summary. The Chapel Hill Senior Center is by far the most used, the <br /> most visible and accessible, and serves predominately White seniors. The <br /> Center is non- institutional, very user-friendly in design, and attractive. The <br /> Friends provide the major volunteer leadership in the center operation. Parking <br /> and lack of space are problems occassioned by its success in attracting more <br /> older adults than all other centers combined. Because it has more space than <br /> the other centers it is able to provide a more varied program. <br /> The Efland-Cheeks Community Center. This is a fairly new (established in <br /> 1990) facility serving all ages. It is close to the center of the township off US <br /> 70 Hwy. The center is accessible to and is used primarily by low-income <br /> people and the Black community. Because of its limited space (one large <br /> multi-purpose room), the Center has a neighborhood "Club Atmosphere". The <br /> facility is non-institutional, user-friendly in design and attractive, but not very <br /> visible. The volunteer leadership is the Senior Citizens Club and its officers. <br /> Page 7 of 16 <br />