By Kay Kirkland, City of Enterprise
Enterprise Senior Center closing temporarily
The Enterprise Senior Center is closed for the next several weeks as a result of the outbreak of COVID-19, the Corona Virus, in Alabama, but meals for center patrons will continue to be made available.
Mayor William E. Cooper, city department heads, Enterprise Chamber of Commerce Board members, City School leaders and Coffee County Emergency Management Agency Director James Brown met at City Hall Friday with Alabama Department of Public Health’s Southeastern District Administrator Corey Kirkland and Clinical Director Johna Cotton to discuss health precautions. At the time of the meeting, only one person had been confirmed with the virus. At noon today, a total of 22 people had tested positive.
Of immediate concern for the local leaders are patrons of the Enterprise Senior Citizen Center, who gather each weekday at the center for breakfast and lunch and other activities.
“It is with regret that I announce we must close the Enterprise Senior Citizens Center until further notice,” Cooper said. “We agree with the decision by the Southeast Alabama Regional Council on the Aging, because we certainly want to protect the health and well-being of our seniors.”
SARCOA, which administers the senior programs, issued a statement Friday afternoon saying all 36 of the senior centers in the SARCOA region will be temporarily closed. Current senior center participants will be contacted with information on how they may continue to receive meals during the shutdown period. Reviewing the risks and symptoms associated with the virus, and the information gained from the worldwide outbreak, Kirkland said senior citizens and people with chronic illness or immune system disorders are at higher risk to catch the virus.
Current, registered members of the Enterprise Senior Citizens Center who normally eat meals at the center will be able to pick up their lunch between 11:30 a.m. and noon at the center. Homebound meals will be delivered as regularly scheduled.