In a show of goodwill to the senior citizens no longer under its purview, the Blaine Senior Center nonprofit sold nearly the entirety of its gym, kitchen, entertainment and other equipment to the city of Blaine for a whopping $1. The decision to “sell” the equipment to the city allowed seniors to keep using the same familiar amenities after Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 took over operation of the senior center building in July.
Sieneke Stevenson, president of the BSC nonprofit, estimates the equipment was worth tens of thousands of dollars. She said the nonprofit functionally donated the equipment to show that the organization prioritized the care of Blaine’s seniors, even after losing out on a city contract to manage the senior center in February.
“Even though we were disappointed at losing the contract, the number one priority for us was to make the transition to [BBBPRD2] as smooth as possible for the members of the senior center,” Stevenson said. “We wanted to just do our part in making a good faith effort to turn it over to them in a way that would be most beneficial to the seniors and the participants there.”
BSC sold the equipment to the city, instead of the parks department, so the equipment would have a better chance of staying in the senior center building, Stevenson said. Most of the equipment was paid for by $45 annual membership dues.
Chairs, tables, live sound gear, pool tables, and dozens of pieces of gym and kitchen equipment – essentially everything in the building save for a few computers and a printer – were kept as is in the center, Stevenson said. The nonprofit approached the city with the idea of donating its equipment, at which the city quickly jumped.
Now no longer receiving membership dues and without a contract, the nonprofit needed to shed expenses like liability and maintenance, while also maintaining consistency for the seniors. Stevenson said BSC has also gifted BBBPRD2 with the remainder of its pro-rated membership dues, totaling roughly $14,000, so that seniors who already paid memberships won’t have to pay user fees to
BBBPRD2.
While BSC no longer operates the senior center on 763 G Street, Stevenson said the nonprofit is transitioning to find a new niche where it can still serve seniors. Stevenson said it is looking to rebuild its membership list, and for any former members to reach out at bbbseniors@yahoo.com.
