Baxter Receives Top REAL Services Award
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SOUTH BEND - April Baxter, director of the Senior Activity Center of Warsaw, was recognized as an Administrator of the Year at the Age of Excellence Awards luncheon recently held in South Bend. Baxter was one of 12 recipients of the awards given in 11 categories by REAL Services Area 2 Agency on Aging, which provides services to the elderly in Kosciusko, Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.
Administrator of the Year award is given to a physician, administrator or social services agency director who has served the older adult population through exceptional leadership. Baxter won the award for her work as director of the SAC in Warsaw.
Before Baxter was hired, the SAC struggled with community involvment. Historically, the center had been a place where less active seniors came for a cup of coffee and a free meal. In the past, it was necessary to "beat the bushes" to get businesses and younger people interested in doing anything at the center.
Baxter has been with the center for three years. She began a Red Hat Society, an organization for older women with "attitude" who wear red and purple, a spin-off group for men and a society for younger women who wear pink and lavender. She started an annual fall health fair, and now businesses are calling the center and asking the center to save a table for them. The health fair has grown so much that the center may run out of room for the next health fair.
Speakers have been asked to talk about health insurance, home safety and political issues involving seniors - attracting active, healthy seniors who want to do more than sit and have coffee.
Baxter started craft classes, brought in a reflexologist and introduced some of the seniors to alternative healing methods, like massage.
Many of the events are planned in the late morning, so seniors can stay for a nutrition site meal.
One of the most important factors in Baxter's success is thinking ahead -Êknowing that seniors and the senior center have a future together and planning for that future. [[In-content Ad]]
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SOUTH BEND - April Baxter, director of the Senior Activity Center of Warsaw, was recognized as an Administrator of the Year at the Age of Excellence Awards luncheon recently held in South Bend. Baxter was one of 12 recipients of the awards given in 11 categories by REAL Services Area 2 Agency on Aging, which provides services to the elderly in Kosciusko, Elkhart, LaPorte, Marshall and St. Joseph counties.
Administrator of the Year award is given to a physician, administrator or social services agency director who has served the older adult population through exceptional leadership. Baxter won the award for her work as director of the SAC in Warsaw.
Before Baxter was hired, the SAC struggled with community involvment. Historically, the center had been a place where less active seniors came for a cup of coffee and a free meal. In the past, it was necessary to "beat the bushes" to get businesses and younger people interested in doing anything at the center.
Baxter has been with the center for three years. She began a Red Hat Society, an organization for older women with "attitude" who wear red and purple, a spin-off group for men and a society for younger women who wear pink and lavender. She started an annual fall health fair, and now businesses are calling the center and asking the center to save a table for them. The health fair has grown so much that the center may run out of room for the next health fair.
Speakers have been asked to talk about health insurance, home safety and political issues involving seniors - attracting active, healthy seniors who want to do more than sit and have coffee.
Baxter started craft classes, brought in a reflexologist and introduced some of the seniors to alternative healing methods, like massage.
Many of the events are planned in the late morning, so seniors can stay for a nutrition site meal.
One of the most important factors in Baxter's success is thinking ahead -Êknowing that seniors and the senior center have a future together and planning for that future. [[In-content Ad]]