The Dawson County Senior Citizen Center could be outfitted with an elevator to make the lives of those who visit a little bit easier.

The Dawson County Board of Commissioners discussed the addition at their Feb. 9 work session.

The county is being asked for $17,167 to complete the project. County manager Kevin Tanner recommended the county pull the money from the capital project fund.

It would not affect anyones budget, he explained to the commissioners.

The estimated cost for the entire project is $60,000. The community has donated $42,832.91 to the project, mostly through the fundraising efforts of Margie Weaver, director of the senior center, and others.

We did bean suppers, three pheasant shoots and a dinner dance, Weaver said, listing only a few of the fundraisers the senior center conducted for the new elevator.

The elevator will be placed in the back right-hand corner of the main room of the senior center. It will provide senior citizens access to the basement.

Weaver says that senior citizens who are unable to use the stairs cant access the events in the basement unless Weaver drives them in her car around the building to the basement door access.

The basement is home to many activities, including SilverSneakers exercise classes, bridge lessons and painting activities. Weaver says that there are least two activities going on per day in the basement area, making it a well-used portion of the building.

Tanner asked the commissioners to approve the project at their Feb. 16 voting session.

Itll make Margie and a lot of senior citizens very happy, Tanner said.

If approved by the commissioners, a request for a quote for a contractor to oversee the job will be issued. The contractor will then work with the architect to complete the project design. Then, the individual portions of job will be bidded out to sub-contractors.

The architect, Duane Roof, with Robertson Loia Roof Architectural Firm, has already volunteered his time and services on a preliminary design.

Mr. Roof has been so kind to do it all on his own time, Weaver said. The entire community has been so supportive of this project.

As the numbers of senior citizens utilizing the center continue to increase, Weaver is hopeful the commissioners will approve the funds and allow the project to finally begin.

Coming to the senior center gives people pleasure in doing something, she said. The activities we have show you can still have a purpose in life. You can still learn something.

Our goal was to have something for every senior citizen, and this elevator will help with that.