The general public was introduced to Marion’s new community/senior center this past Saturday, August 12, and the consensus is that it is wonderful, beautiful – perfect.

There’s just something about the smell of fresh paint and newly laid carpet, scents reminiscent of brand new starts, new beginnings, and of a space that has been created for folks to inhabit, live in, and enjoy together.

On Saturday, add in the scent of freshly brewed coffee and you got yourself a Marion Community Center Open House event that welcomed the general public inside to see the splendid transformation the Town of Marion facilitated, from VFW building to the now completely renovated community/senior center.

And when we say renovated, it’s renovated – entirely.

There’s a brand new, upgraded kitchen with a walk-in freezer that just blows you away when the door is opened. The shelves are empty, ready to be stocked with all the foods and fixings for the daily lunch program from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm.

Council on Aging Director Heather Silvia said lunches at the new center are now daily instead of the two days a week allowable at the Music Hall, the former site of most COA activities.

The COA serves about 10 to 20 people a day for the lunch. “But we’d love it to grow,” Silvia said. It’s a $2 suggested donation for lunch, she said, “But we never refuse service.”

Outside the kitchen in the expansive main space of the center, groups of tables are arranged, as well as a seating area for socializing, watching television, or playing one of the assortments of board games on the shelf. There’s also a pool table in the corner.

Off to the side is a quiet conference room with shelves of brand new books for everyone to enjoy, either inside the silent sanctum of the conference room or anywhere.

The restrooms gleam with smooth new tile, fresh grout, and new fixtures. And the office area to the south side of the building now houses the cubicles for the Council on Aging staff and the Recreation Department staff – all redone and revamped to precisely meet the Town’s needs in this new space gifted to the Town.

As many already know, the goal of bringing such a center for seniors to be served would never have been met without the generosity of VFW Post #2425, which disbanded last year after a steady drop in membership.

Instead of selling off the property, VFW members voted to transfer ownership of the property to the Town for the use of a senior/community center.

“I see an enormous change,” said VFW Post #2425’s last ever Commander Demi Barros. “Everything is great. I am so satisfied,” he added, “because I had a pretty hard time when we disbanded, and now seeing what it’s turned out to be here … for the seniors to have that place to go.”

Barros just hopes that more people will come out to utilize it, saying the program the COA has got lined up is a great one.

Board of Selectmen Chairman Jody Dickerson, overseeing the event, called it “the grand finale.”

“It’s a big day for Marion,” Dickerson said. Dickerson, also the Marion Recreation director, will now spend his fair share of time at the 465 Mill Road location now that his office is inside. “It’s something … that the [VFW] members wanted…. It’s all about the community.”

Town Administrator Paul Dawson was there too, although he wouldn’t take any credit for the facilitation of the process from deed transfer to day of open house.

“This is just a great day,” said Dawson.

As the public came and went, old and young and everything in between, compliments could be heard such as, “This is wonderful,” and “Wow!”

As she exited the building, Mary Gallini of Marion, who was providing exercise sessions with the seniors twice a week at the Music Hall, said the facility has really changed since the prior spaghetti suppers she’d attended at the old VFW hall.

“It’s perfect,” said Gallini. “It’s really perfect. Just look at it!”

Ellen Perry said she had in the past attended the chair yoga at the Music Hall and this was her first visit to the new center. “I’ll have to start!” she said, pleased with the center’s completion.

Although the center is ready to start serving seniors, there are still a few items on the wish list: an apartment-size stackable washer and dryer, 21 chairs with arms, six card tables, two six-foot buffet tables, greeting card carousel, bookshelves, a Keurig machine, commercial dishwasher, and side-by-side refrigerator/freezer.

Visit the Benjamin D. Cushing Community Center to find out about upcoming events and pick up a copy of the daily lunch menu. For questions, call 508-748-3570.

By Jean Perry

At the Plumb Library in Rochester, there are never too many ways to “Build a Better World” as this summer’s reading program continues into its final week.

For some people, especially for the younger ones, building a better world is an obsession of sorts – when you’re a ‘Minecrafter.’

For those unaware of the indie video game frenzy, Minecraft is a gaming sensation. They say to not let the seemingly crude graphics fool you into thinking they’re irrelevant – or simple – because any Minecraft player will tell you that the first-person view as one traverses the terrain of an imaginary world mining for materials for shelters to protect them during the dark and dangerous nights when zombies and skeletons emerge is anything but simple.

The building of the player’s world is limited only to his or her imagination – as it is in the three-dimensional world we inhabit.

On August 14, a large and lively group of kids converged inside the First Congregational Church of Rochester recreation room to watch “Jungle Jim” Manning merge Minecraft with Magic – and what resulted was an incomparable infusion of inflatable fun.

Using balloons, a quick wit, and his knack for keeping kids actively engaged and amused, Manning, who does children’s entertainment presentations at libraries all over the place, took this year’s summer reading program theme “Build a Better World” to a whole new level – fashioning it into a Minecraft-centered presentation, the idea of Manning’s 12-year-old nephew.

“About ninety percent of my performances are in libraries,” said Manning, calling it his niche.

Using his ballooncrafting skills, wacky sense of humor, quit wit, fast-paced and action-packed presentation style, along with a quirky Hawaiian shirt, Manning gets the kids engaged and keeps them engaged. He’s a fast talker – like auctioneer fast – and there’s never a pause between sentences. It keeps going and going, unraveling and leaping forward without skipping a step – and the kids just love it.

If Manning has learned anything over the 13 years he’s been performing for children, it is that the kids need to keep moving.

“I watch them and when I start to see them lean back or stretch … I get them up to jump, stretch, wave their hands in the air … they just need a little transitional break,” Manning said, adding, “It’s less about what you do and more about how you do it.”

And how did the Plumb Library patrons receive Manning? Judging by what the grownups saw, including Manning, they liked Manning more than just a little. After all, it was pretty much 100 percent participation and 100 percent fun.

“They were really great, great kids,” said Manning sincerely, complimenting the crowd on their enthusiasm as well as their manners.

Manning uses a lot of volunteers to help him with the performance, so much in fact that practically every kid gets a chance to participate, giving them the feeling that they are in some way “running the show” as Manning put it.

And speaking of shows, Manning’s are such a success that he has performed 123 shows since June 1. A lot more than he had in mind, Manning said.

But the show must go on, and Manning wants to keep it going – to libraries within all 50 states.

“Only forty-one to go!” said Manning excitedly.

With his passion for libraries coupled with the entertaining influence he has on children, Manning appears to be one of those “lucky ones” who has found his calling in life and answered it. Not only does he do his part to “Build a Better World” – “I feel like I’m making a difference.”

The performance was sponsored by the Cultural Council of Rochester, a group which Manning told the kids was “pretty awesome.”

By Jean Perry