Building where seniors receive nutrition, other services to close temporarily

By Brittany Whitehead

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    HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Sammy Williams Senior Center, operated by the Council on Aging of Henderson County and owned by the Hendersonville Housing Authority, has closed temporarily while testing is conducted due to a suspicion of possible mold.

Staff and volunteers at the center notified its members Friday, Jan. 27, that the building would be temporarily closing beginning that day for an undefined amount of time.

“There is testing that’s going to be done, and we have contracted with someone to do our due diligence,” said Diana Brow, executive director of Hendersonville Housing Authority. “Hopefully, it’s just some structural things that we need to fix, but we need to have everyone out of the building to be safe and err on the side of caution while the testing is conducted.”

During the closure of the building, where anywhere from 25-40 of about 80 member senior citizens receive nutrition and other services Monday through Friday, Brookdale Hendersonville East, an assisted living facility, will operate as the site where SWSC members can receive services.

Brookdale is located at 2601 Chimney Rock Road in Hendersonville.

A Council on Aging staff member said the nonprofit was grateful to find a substitute location so quickly, to ensure that the seniors who daily depend on nutrition services and socialization activities can still receive them.

Other activities seniors take part in during the week at the center include hearing from speakers, playing games, exercising and socializing.

Brow said there is not yet a timeline for the closure, as it depends on testing that will be conducted this week.

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