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Picture taken from Desert Aire History Book sold in 2006
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Also taken from History Book
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History of Center
These 2 articles are from that same DESERT AIRE HISTORY book that was available for sale in 2006
Sagebrush Senior Citizens Club, by Oscar Perdomo
In 1978 The Sagebrush Senior Citizen Club was formed as an outreach of the Columbia Basin Christian Ministry of The Presbytery of Central Washington.
Dr. Oscar C. Perdomo and Bette Phillips saw the need for a ministry to retired persons living in Desert Aire and adjacent communities. He and Bette began to plan and search for ways to serve.
One of the first activities was to bring a Nurse Practitioner to conduct a wellness clinic in Desert Aire. Mrs. Sweet, the Nurse Practitioner, gave physicals to the Seniors, checked if they were up-to-date with their medications, and set up doctors' appointments. The 1Irst core group of seniors were: Frances Clark, Ruth Olsen, Lavina Brown, Nola Christiansen, Laura Parker, Lola Charles, Del Card, Marion Eskildsen, Ellen Schott, and Ruth Allard from Mattawa.
In 1979 more seniors began attending the' meetings and a monthly potluck was established. Bette Phillips and Dr. Perdomo applied for the assistance of the Grant County Senior Citizens, Inc. from Moses Lake, to obtain a 15 passenger van. The van was driven by senior citizens to schedule doctor appointments, visit pharmacies, and grocery shopping in Yakima, Tri Cities, and Wenatchee. Occasionally, recreational trips were organized. The drivers were Russ Brown; Pete Bymers, Robert Parker, John Card, Karl Klomhaus, Ken Brown, Jack Root, Clarence Fisher and others. As the numbers were increased it was necessary to move the meetings from the church (a manufactured home) to the Desert Aire Day Lodge Club House.
By 1981 the membership had grown considerably and the founders, Bette Phillips and Dr. Oscar C. Perdomo decided to complete the paperwork to charter and incorporate the Sagebrush Senior Citizen's Club in the State of Washington.
The New Building, by Joe Shelton
Harry Davidson donated the land for the new Senior Center Building. $10,000 was, borrowed from Granny Schott, and several grants were received from the county in return for the right of the county to hold meetings there. It was completed in 1985, after an incident with a wind storm. An old hospital that was being dismantled north of Wenatchee was the source of many of the furnishings. Senior volunteers took their pickups and returned with stainless steel cabinets for the kitchen, bathroom fixtures, windows, insulation, etc. Seniors with experience in plumbing or electricity donated time toward finishing the building. The first refrigerators and stoves were donated and used and worked about half the time. In four or five years, Granny Schott was paid back and there was a mortgage-burning celebration. Later, new appliances and a good ventilation and fan system were added for about $25,000. This time, they had the cash.
Sagebrush Senior Citizens Club, by Oscar Perdomo
In 1978 The Sagebrush Senior Citizen Club was formed as an outreach of the Columbia Basin Christian Ministry of The Presbytery of Central Washington.
Dr. Oscar C. Perdomo and Bette Phillips saw the need for a ministry to retired persons living in Desert Aire and adjacent communities. He and Bette began to plan and search for ways to serve.
One of the first activities was to bring a Nurse Practitioner to conduct a wellness clinic in Desert Aire. Mrs. Sweet, the Nurse Practitioner, gave physicals to the Seniors, checked if they were up-to-date with their medications, and set up doctors' appointments. The 1Irst core group of seniors were: Frances Clark, Ruth Olsen, Lavina Brown, Nola Christiansen, Laura Parker, Lola Charles, Del Card, Marion Eskildsen, Ellen Schott, and Ruth Allard from Mattawa.
In 1979 more seniors began attending the' meetings and a monthly potluck was established. Bette Phillips and Dr. Perdomo applied for the assistance of the Grant County Senior Citizens, Inc. from Moses Lake, to obtain a 15 passenger van. The van was driven by senior citizens to schedule doctor appointments, visit pharmacies, and grocery shopping in Yakima, Tri Cities, and Wenatchee. Occasionally, recreational trips were organized. The drivers were Russ Brown; Pete Bymers, Robert Parker, John Card, Karl Klomhaus, Ken Brown, Jack Root, Clarence Fisher and others. As the numbers were increased it was necessary to move the meetings from the church (a manufactured home) to the Desert Aire Day Lodge Club House.
By 1981 the membership had grown considerably and the founders, Bette Phillips and Dr. Oscar C. Perdomo decided to complete the paperwork to charter and incorporate the Sagebrush Senior Citizen's Club in the State of Washington.
The New Building, by Joe Shelton
Harry Davidson donated the land for the new Senior Center Building. $10,000 was, borrowed from Granny Schott, and several grants were received from the county in return for the right of the county to hold meetings there. It was completed in 1985, after an incident with a wind storm. An old hospital that was being dismantled north of Wenatchee was the source of many of the furnishings. Senior volunteers took their pickups and returned with stainless steel cabinets for the kitchen, bathroom fixtures, windows, insulation, etc. Seniors with experience in plumbing or electricity donated time toward finishing the building. The first refrigerators and stoves were donated and used and worked about half the time. In four or five years, Granny Schott was paid back and there was a mortgage-burning celebration. Later, new appliances and a good ventilation and fan system were added for about $25,000. This time, they had the cash.