Seniors Hoping To Scare Up Support For Place To Gather In Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A group of seniors who lost their place to gather are using Halloween to draw attention to their plight.

The Skyway Senior Center closed its doors in March, breaking up a group of seniors who had gathered there since 2001.

Barbara Nylen is one of dozens of seniors who used the Skyway Senior Center daily. She and others gathered in the IDS Center Tuesday to raise awareness.

She dressed up as a biker.

"Minneapolis is one of the few major cities without any senior citizen center to go in and sit and connect with each other and just hang out," she said.

In the old senior center, 70 people a day would gather for coffee, to read the paper or take part in activities.

"I just miss the whole place," said Mae Range. "We did a lot of good, a lot of good."

The senior center, which was located in the Target building, had a $185,000 budget, private funding, and in-kind support from the city of Minneapolis.

However, the center's sponsors were unable to continue support, so it closed, shutting out seniors from the only place they had to go in Minneapolis.

These seniors hope they can scare up enough support during Halloween to get another place to call home.

The Central Library and Westminster Church are working with the seniors to find space and a block of time for the group to meet.