By BARBARA GREEN
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The Bowie Senior Citizens Project hopes to reopen very soon as a major remodeling project winds down and the center is able to return to some of its activities cancelled by the pandemic.
It was March 23, 2020, when the center closed its dining room to guests, but still provided meals for pickup and Meals on Wheels. The center has been quiet with no one throwing down in 42 or walking on a treadmill in the exercise room. Transportation also was cut back and there were no special events hosted at the center.
Lynda Medley, longtime center director, has been involved in different capacities at the center for more than 25 years. The past year without those special interactions with all their seniors has been hard.
“I miss the people so much, it has been so hard to get excited about coming to work. They are my extended family and we lost so many of them this year,” explained Medley.
Renovation
Located at 501 Pelham since 1987, the senior center was formerly in an old church before moving to the city-owned property at Pelham Park, which previously was home of the Jim Bowie Rodeo Association. The original stone building was reportedly built by the Works Progress Administration. A small brass plaque located just outside the front doors of the center notes WPA, 1935-1937.
While the building underwent renovation when the center moved in and at different points through the years, an 86-year-old building has constant issues. Roof repairs have been a regular issue. There also needed to bring the building up to handicap accessibility standards.
Medley said thanks to the family of Phyllis Dodson the center is the recipient of a monetary donation for remodeling. Dodson, 89, passed away on Oct. 20, 2020, but she received home meals and used van transportation. She was a retired school teacher who also assisted her husband in his accounting practice.

Read the full story in the weekend Bowie News.