Imperial’s Community Center is opening back up for noon meals

Like most places around the state and the country, the Imperial Community Center had to close its doors to the public the past year, but staff there still made noon meals available the best way possible.
The center supplied meals by home delivery and curb side pick-up over the past year.
Starting Wednesday this week, the public is invited to enjoy noon meals in the dining room again, said Laura Barton, director.
Rita Hogsett is filling in cooking all the meals while Angela Lewis, kitchen manager and cook, is recovering from a knee injury.
“We will continue to provide meals for curb side pick-up and home delivery as well as in-house dining,” Barton said.
As always, the center must be called by 9:30 a.m. to reserve a meal for that day, she added.
“We have been going between seven different levels over the last year from zero to six—zero being totally open and six being totally closed. We are at a ‘one’ now,” said David Bauerle, community center board president.
The center was only at a six for about two weeks when everyone had to be quarantined due to a positive test in a staff member, he said.
Since word has gotten out the center will be open for meals, comments heard from center attendees have expressed how much they really missed being together for meals and seeing friends, said Barton.
“Personally, we have really missed having folks here, and we’re looking forward to having them back,” she said.
The community center here down-slid a little during the time the dining room was closed, Bauerle said.
“Some centers were actually delivering more meals since people in their communities were afraid to go out and took advantage of the service,” he added.
“There are people that will still feel insecure about eating in the dining room, so they will probably continue ordering curb side meals.”
The thrift store at the center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
A couple of weeks ago the morning coffee groups and afternoon card groups resumed meeting, Barton said.
Bauerle said people were slow to start coming in at first for any activity.
“But it didn’t take long because they were anxious to get back to it and came wearing smiles on their faces—behind their masks,” he smiled.
He believes, overall, things are starting to get back to normal.
The community center building is open to the public Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
“We try to keep updates and some interesting items on our Facebook page. I recommend people go onto the site for more information, and spread the word that dining together is back,” Barton said.
“I can’t believe it’s been a whole year, but it has definitely been an interesting one,” said Bauerle.