Expanded senior center celebrated in White County

CLEVELAND - White County officials held an open house and ribbon cutting for the newly expanded White County Senior Center Sunday afternoon.

County commission chairman Travis Turner said the project has been years in the making. With the efforts of seniors, federal grant money and local sales tax, there's no debt on the project.

"Folks, this is just not a building, it's not about a building, it's about people doing what God has called them to do," Turner said.

He gave special recognition to the Westmoreland family for donation of the property that enabled the expansion.

Senior Center Director Bonnie York said a lot of people played a part in the project.

"Dreams take a lot of work, a lot of patience, a lot of community support and we've had that. We've had God's strength help us when we thought we were too weak to make it, because at times it seemed we wanted to throw up our hands and quit. That's something we can't do, we have to always persevere keep going and have faith," York said.

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Davis worked for several years raising money for the project.

"It's really nice. It's beautiful. (It's) more than we ever expected, sure is, and we appreciate all the people who helped us," Ray Davis said.

The money raised by seniors was used to furnish the center, according to Turner.