Victoria McCallie is one of the many seniors in Taylor that have found a home away from home at the Switzer Senior Center.

“I lost my daughter in 2008, so I wanted to be at home; I didn’t want to go anywhere,” McCallie said. “My husband got me to come here, he said ‘Let’s go, babe, you need to get out of the house.’ I’m even dancing now!”

The Senior Center is located inside the Taylor Resource Center at West Ninth and Hackberry in the old Taylor Middle School building. They share the space with the Meals-on-Wheels program, Taylor ISD’s clothing bank and the Shepherd’s Heart Food Pantry and thrift shop.

Andrew Shells, the executive director of WBC Opportunities, the organization that helps run the senior center. Shell commented on the changes that they had seen once the center moved to its current location: the home-delivery numbers for Meals-on-Wheels had doubled since the center moved just over a year ago. The lunchtime meals went from an average of about ten people to an average of 55 per meal.

“(Here we’re) more visible,” Shell said.

The Senior Center offers a host of activities and organizations for seniors to be a part of, but it also offers companionship for the elderly in the area.

“I love to be with people,” McCallie said. McCallie and her friends are big fans of all of the bingo the center offers.

“I’m here every time,” Eva Roman said. Roman takes the bus to the center daily to enjoy time with her friends and get out of the house.

The center also offers a craft class that is enjoyed by many. Their most recent crafts were ragdolls, Easter bunnies and personalized pin cushions for sewing.

This month the center is also offering new workshops and support groups for the elderly who are looking for information to enrich their lives.

July 14 and 28, an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) staff benefits counselor will be at the center to assist with questions about Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security and other similar programs.

During lunch Wednesday, the center was paid a visit by District 52 State Representative Diana Maldonado, who chatted with the seniors, answered questions and enjoyed lunch with them.

Verna Guejardo is the coordinator for the center, and she’s excited for the upcoming programs the center is putting on.

“We have lots of things that we do all month long,” Guejardo said. Every month, birthdays are celebrated with a theme party —July’s theme is a hoedown.

“(When we) had Easter, we had a bunny rabbit come and we had a egg hunt outside for all our seniors,” Guejardo said. “We try to do our best so that they can have fun.”

The Senior Center is open Monday through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. unless the event notes otherwise. For more information, call (512) 352-3889.