Funding problems from farther up the food chain has left managers of a senior citizen nutrition program in the tough spot of having to cut services to a handful of cities in the region, including two in Garvin County.
On the hit list are nutrition services provided to senior centers in Wynnewood and Maysville.
The reason is a cutback in state funding required to meet the match for federal funds, said Pat Peay, director of the Southern Oklahoma Nutrition Program that includes Garvin County in its 10-county region.
“My program took a pretty big hit,” Peay said. “We’re closing seven and praying that will do. I’m not sure that it will. I understand the state problem with funding, but it’s difficult this particular program took such a cut.”
With funding coming through the state Department of Human Services, Peay said the cuts for the entire region totaled nearly $360,000, which represents a big hit to the program’s $2 million overall budget.
“When you lose over $359,000 that’s a tough pill to swallow.”
A decision was made to close a total of seven nutrition sites on Nov. 1.
Along with Wynnewood and Maysville, other sites that closed this week are in Caddo, Calera, Wapanucka, Kingston and Roff.
“I’ve been here 33 years, and I’ve never had anything like this happen. It’s been hard. It’s really been hard,” Peay said.
“These are folks who depend on these meals. Some of them eat part of the meal and then take it home for later.”
This larger set of cutbacks follows a smaller one, 7 percent, since the start of the fiscal year in July, which Peay said was manageable until this recent development.
The services once provided in Wynnewood and Maysville do have a connection to Pauls Valley.
“We have been cooking meals at the Pauls Valley site and transporting them to Maysville and Wynnewood,” Peay said.
“That won’t be happening any more. The meals just won’t be taken over there. The money is just not there.
“As far as our part of it is concerned the community can still keep it going. They’ll just have to do it with other funding,” she said, referring to Wynnewood and Maysville. “We’re going to leave equipment at the sites and see what happens.
“I do plan to try and figure out some way to deliver frozen meals to the homebound in those areas. Right now I just don’t if that will happen.”
Nutrition services provided at the senior center in Pauls Valley remain unchanged for now.
“We may have to cut back a little on the staff hours because they won’t be cooking for the Maysville or Wynnewood sites,” she said.
No jobs were lost in Garvin County, but a total of 16 others were chopped in the program’s 10-county region.
Peay said the possibility of the lost services returning anytime soon don’t look good.
“I’m not going to be too optimistic it will come back even when things recover.”
Local News
Senior meals get big chop
- Local News
-
-
It’s now official for county trust
A Garvin County trio made it official Monday by creating a brand new public trust authority designed to help area school districts after bond issues are OK’d by voters.
-
DNA findings put trial on hold
A jury trial will have to wait for one of five suspects accused of committing home invasions in two Garvin County cities back in the fall of 2010.
-
Retirement is full circle for Paoli principal
Throughout the history of any town, whether it is as big as Oklahoma City or in this case as small as Paoli, there are always natives remembered for going above and beyond the rest.
-
Delta to stuff bus for soldiers
As Memorial Day weekend is set to offer yet another chance to celebrate in the names of individuals who have sacrificed so much for America, Delta Public Transit has plans to help those whose service is either current or much more recent.
-
Swinging summer
-
Splash time for pool project
Hoping to make a big splash while thinking outside the box are a number of officials involved in the planning for an outdoor swimming pool facility in Pauls Valley.
-
End of School Honors
-
PVGH program more familiar patient care
While not all of the wounds have healed since the most difficult changes to Pauls Valley General Hospital via a control shift over to the St. Anthony Health System took place, some of the brighter days have already come from a new care position started on March 5.
-
Sides drawn in shooting case
A shooting earlier this week has one Pauls Valley man awaiting criminal charges for what some witnesses described as action done to protect others.
-
Disposal site protest now official
Now it’s wait and see time for a bunch of Pauls Valley area landowners who have completed a petition opposing a proposed oil field waste disposal site.
- More Local News Headlines
-
FAMU Bandmates: Victim Volunteered to Be Hazed
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
Raw Video: Tornado Appears During Wedding
HP to Cut 27,000 Jobs, Save Up to $3.5B
Inquiry Hears Wider Secret Service Misbehavior
Md. 911 Dispatcher Caught Sleeping on Job
Raw Video: Toddler Trapped in Washing Machine
Iowa Man With Zebra, Parrot in Truck Gets DUI
Egyptians Pick New President in Free Election
Giant Bull Head Draws Drivers to South Dakota
Astrodome Fades As Houston Decides Fate
Franciscan Files Tell Stories of Priest Abuse
Wildfire Destroys 2 Homes
Flight Diverted After Suspicious Note
Joplin Remembers Deadly Tornado, 1 Year Later
Panel Recommends Against Routine Prostate Test
Fired Lingerie Employee Claims Discrimination
Facebook Shares Continue Negative Slide
Cuba Waiting for Cyber Age to Come
8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff
