Manteca Senior Center has made it their mission to provide fun and excitement for the older generation in the community. 

Located at 295 Cherry Lane (near the Manteca Police Department), the 10,000-square-foot multi-purpose center is quite the hot spot for a variety of activities.

 Thanks to recreation supervisor Brandy Clark along with a small staff and many volunteers, the 50 and up crowd have a place they can call their own — a place where they can laugh, learn, grow and have a blast together through an array of classes, workshops and events.

 “The things we offer here at the center are here because there was an interest,” Clark said.

 As soon as members show real interest in an activity Clark, the staff and volunteers get to work on making it happen such as:

uFor dancers or wanna-be-dancers the center offers: Line Dancing classes on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. and Tap Dancing classes on Thursdays at 10:15 a.m. 

 uFor the “artsy” types, the center offers a very popular Watercolor Painting class on Mondays at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m.   Jewelry-Making classes are held on Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m. and a 3D Greeting Card class is held on Wednesdays at 12:30 p.m.

uOne member named Mary, who also volunteers for the center’s Nutrition Program, participates in the 3D Greeting Card class and has been busy making 3D Christmas cards which are on sale at the center.  “Whenever we sell cards that we make in class, we donate a portion of the profits back to the center” Mary says. 

uThe same is true for the Watercolor Painting class.  Finished paintings are displayed along the wall at the center and are for sale by the artists.  A portion of the sale is donated back to the center in order to help keep it all going. 

Dance and art classes are only a portion of what the center offers. For gamers, and yes seniors are gamers too, there is a long standing Poker group, Billiard club, Ping Pong players, Bunco, Bingo and Wii Bowling teams just to name a few.  For the more studious members there is a Book Review group, Memoir Writing, Genealogy, and basic computer classes. 

 Beyond the many classes the center has a Brown Bag Program which packs and donates food to those who need a helping hand, Trips and Tours for the adventurous types as well as  Paralegal, Notary and Counseling services.

Members receive a monthly newsletter to help keep them up to date with the many events so they won’t miss out on the fun.  This month’s calendar of events includes:

uManteca Senior Center Health Fair: Aug. 20, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Free Event with 30 vendors with resources on daily living, health and interests.)

uWatercolor & Wine Affair: Aug. 21, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. (For ages 21 years and up) , $25 per person includes wine, light refreshments and art supplies. It’s $15 per person if you bring your own art supplies

uCosmic Wii Bowling: Aug. 25 at 5p.m. (Bring a team or come and join a team), $3 per person, $10 for team of four

 With so many activities going on at Manteca Senior Center it’s no wonder it’s such a hot spot yet not everyone sees it that way.

 “A lot of people have this idea that a senior center is like a convalescent hospital but that’s not what this is at all,” Clark said.

 Having approximately 500 people coming through their doors throughout the day for classes, coffee, a meal or simply to enjoy time with each other the center is definitely full of life and excitement.

Operating with only a small paid staff Clark has come to truly value each and every one of the 180 volunteers that help keep the center running smoothly.

“We couldn’t this without them, they are all so wonderful,” she said.

 One such volunteer who helps to keep things running is, Brian Garrity, a greeter and welcoming face for visitors for the past two years.   Giving tours of the center, sharing what it’s all about and making new comers feel comfortable is a job he loves to do.  And while not wanting to brag Garrity notes that out of all the senior centers in the area he believes, “(the) Manteca Senior Center is the best one.”