Come out and support the Senior Day program

Elizabeth Parker
Published: June 16, 2008

Once again, the Prince William Board of County of Supervisors is planning to spend more of our tax dollars. What happened to those budget constraints? The Valley View Park in Nokesville wants to add
20, 70-foot poles to light six soccer fields. Why now must this be done? Put the project on hold and use this money to save the Manassas Senior Day program and keep it open for another year.  Why
should citizens have to fight to receive equal services throughout the county? It is hard to understand why such a perfect Senior Day program would be closed after 17 years in existence. Some of the
employees have been there many years and are dedicated to the participants and their welfare.  We are against the county subsidizing a private facility. We want those funds to keep our own county
program going. This activity is a miniscule portion of the overall budget and a very small part of the Agency on Aging budget.

There has been so much misinformation put out against the Manassas Senior Day program and little opportunity to correct it.  The main issues are: 1) The difference in the cost between the private and
the county-sponsored program. 2) No sliding scale to help lower cost in the private facility. 3) No transportation at the private facility. 4) Limited activities in the private program. 5) Distance to bathrooms
and rooms where other activities are held.    6) No citizen input and oversight.

If you transfer to the county program in Woodbridge, transportation down and back in the morning and evening would be more than four hours for many participants. The increased cost of gasoline added
to the time factor, makes it almost impossible from the Gainesville/Haymarket area.  We must be practical and also take into consideration the frailty of our family members.

Please put yourself in our shoes. Contact your county Supervisors and come to the board meeting on today at 2 p.m. to voice your concerns or just to support us. Help us keep the Manassas Senior Day
program open and our loved ones out of nursing homes. Thank you.

ELIZABETH PARKER
Manassas