A popular Greenwood senior center is gearing up for a major facelift, and it is moving all of its activities and programs to various locations in and around the city for the next six to eight months.
Renovations will be underway at The Social by April 1. Most of its activities and programs will move to at least eight different sites while some will be canceled temporarily.
The Social recently received a $500,000 grant from the Office of Community and Rural Affairs to remodel the facility at 550 Polk St., and the organization’s leaders been working on designs for more than a year now.
Plans include remodeling the inside of the building, including improving food pantry accommodations, adding square footage and creating more room for Rock Steady Boxing, a fun, non-contact treatment for people who have been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, board member Linda Gibson said previously.
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During renovations, the center’s main hub will be at The Refuge, another social services organization which The Social plans to share a space with until winter. That’s where its offices will be, and where most classes and its most popular program, Rock Steady Boxing, will be conducted. However, the 5:30 p.m. Thursday class will be canceled during construction, according to The Social’s March newsletter.
"We tried to keep it as streamlined as possible for them. As an organization, we made sure we thought of everything, because we know how important it is for them to be able to come in and do their activities," said Andrea Sutherland, The Social’s executive director.
The food pantry will be closed during construction, Sutherland said.
But The Refuge has a food pantry, and The Social plans to provide a list of all Johnson County food pantries to all of its members.
Currently, The Social feeds about 8,000 people a year, and serves food three days a week, Sutherland said.
As membership continues to grow, so does the need for food, she said. A big part of the renovations will include major improvements to the food pantry.
When she started at The Social five years ago, there were about 400 members, she said. Today, that number has more than tripled to about 1,300 members in 2018. The Social was quickly outgrowing its space.
“Even though we’re moving out, just the other day we got eight new members. It’s incredible. Things might be a little uncomfortable for a little bit, but it will be so worth it," Sutherland said.
The Social’s more than 60 volunteers will be spread out among the temporary locations in an effort to make sure the transitions are as smooth as possible, she said.
The organization didn’t have any trouble finding locations to serve as temporary homes. In fact, it received an outpouring of support, she said.
“The people — our community partners — are so great," Sutherland said. "So many of them reached out to say, ‘Come on over while you do this.’"
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Programs will begin at off-site locations on April 1. Maps will be available upon request.
Body Balance and Strength: 9 a.m. Monday; Rosegate Garden Home, 5147 B Rosegate Lane, Indianapolis.
Wood Carving: 9 a.m. Monday and 12:30 p.m. Wednesday; The Refuge, 1111 South Park Drive, Greenwood.
Ballroom Dancing: 9:30 a.m. Monday; Crestwood Village South (Clubhouse Ballroom), 8809 S. Madison Avenue, Indianapolis.
Line Dancing: 10:15 a.m. Monday; Crestwood Village South (Clubhouse Ballroom)
NIA: 10:30 a.m. Monday and Wednesday; Rosegate Garden Home.
Duplicate Bridge: 12:45 p.m. Monday; Demaree Crossing, 1255 Demaree Road, Greenwood.
Hand and Foot/Samba: 9 a.m. Tuesday; location TBD.
Stretch and Flex: Noon Tuesday and Thursday; Greenwood Meadows (Lounge 400), 1200 N. State Road 135, Greenwood.
Euchre: 1 p.m. Tuesday; The Refuge.
Craft Club: 9 a.m. Wednesday; University Heights (Rehab Family Lounge), 1380 E. County Line Road, Indianapolis.
Gentle Yoga: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday; Rosegate Garden Home.
Mah-Jongg: 1 p.m. Wednesday; University Heights (Rehab Family Lounge), 1380 E. County Line Road, Indianapolis.
Folk Dancing: 9:30 a.m. Thursday (there will be no first Thursday class each month during construction); Crestwood Village South (Clubhouse Ballroom).
Contract Bridge: 1 p.m. Thursday; The Refuge.
TOPS: 9 a.m. Friday; The Refuge.
Bingo: 10:30 a.m. Friday; The Refuge.
Mexican Train: 12:30 p.m. Friday; The Refuge.
Book Club: 12:30 p.m. on the last Friday of each month; Greenwood Public Library (second floor group study room), 310 S. Meridian St., Greenwood.
Bid Euchre: 1 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month; Demaree Crossing.
Rock Steady Boxing
Starting April 1, the following changes will be made:
- Tuesday morning class will be moved from 11 a.m. Monday to 12:30 p.m.
- The noon Monday class will start at 1 p.m.
- The 5:30 p.m. Thursday class will be temporarily canceled during construction.
All classes will be conducted at The Refuge, 1111 South Park Drive, Greenwood.
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