Gabe Stark/Staff Photo
Older adults in Trenton can regularly been seen gathered at the center.

Gabe Stark
The Trenton Telegraph

For many in Trenton, Missouri, the North 65 Senior Center is more than just a building on the corner—it’s a lifeline, a hub of community, and a home away from home. Commonly known as the “senior center” or “Meals on Wheels,” the center quietly provides vital services, daily companionship, and a sense of belonging for the area’s older adults.

Karen Otto, the center’s administrator, didn’t always see herself in this role. “I had a friend who’d been the administrator for years, and after she retired, she encouraged me to apply. I did—and here I am, seven years later,” Karen said. With a background in banking and school administration, Karen brought a blend of organizational skills and community spirit to the position.

Karen quickly discovered there was much more to the job than meets the eye. “Even though I knew what my friend did, I didn’t realize the depth involved. We contract with the Area Agency on Aging, and there’s a big process to get funding—from the Older Americans Act and other sources—so we can operate.”

Gabe Stark/Staff Photo
Seen here is a quilt fundraiser, which donates the senior center.

A Nonprofit with a Purpose

The North 65 Senior Center operates as a not-for-profit under the Council on Aging, along with other local support offices. Its dual identity as both a gathering place and a Meals on Wheels provider means its reach is wide and deep. “We have about 65 to 75 home-delivered meal clients, divided into six city routes, and another 40 or so who come in daily for congregate meals,” Karen explained.

Meals on Wheels: Powered by Volunteers

Central to the center’s mission is its meal delivery program, a service powered entirely by volunteers. “Our volunteers’ average age is 79,” said. “We welcome anyone who can drive and has the time—some deliver once a week, some twice, and even local businesses take turns.” Volunteers use their own cars and gas, but the center provides a meal for them in gratitude. Routes typically range from 10 to 17 stops. The center welcomes volunteers as young as 16, a recent change that opens the door for high school and college students to get involved.

The impact goes far beyond just taking people meals. “I believe that home-delivered meals help seniors stay in their homes longer,” Karen said. “Many don’t have family nearby, and the daily check-ins let us see if they’re okay.”

Social Lifeline and Daily Activities

While meals are a big part of what the center does, the center also provides social value. Each weekday, the building fills with laughter and conversation. “We have line dancing on Mondays and Fridays, token bingo on Wednesdays, and official, Gaming Commission-sanctioned bingo on Thursday nights as a fundraiser,” Karen listed. Card games, especially pitch, and jigsaw puzzles are everyday staples.

Some activities double as fundraisers, helping fill the gap in the center’s needs. “Nothing here is fully funded. We rely on senior tax revenue, but also on what we raise—token bingo, line dancing, even a monthly dance with live music and a concession stand,” Karen said. The kitchen’s homemade hot rolls are a local favorite around Thanksgiving, with dozens of orders coming in each year.

A Place to Belong

For many, the North 65 Senior Center is indispensable. “I don’t know what I’d do without this place,” one longtime participant told Karen—a sentiment echoed by many others who attend regularly. The center is a place of community, especially for those with limited family nearby or few other social outlets. “The most important thing is the socialization. It’s more than just a meal, it’s having people to talk to, friends to see, and a place to belong,” Karen said. The people that gather at the center care about each other, checking on each other when someone’s missing and keeping up with each others lives.

Gabe Stark/Staff Photo
The quilt that is part of an ongoing center fundraising effort was made by Cyndi Johnson.

A Call for Community Support

“We need to be aware of our senior population and their needs—not just those who come in, but those we deliver to. The biggest need is contact. Don’t let your lives get so busy that weeks go by without checking in on the people in your life that you care about.”

Right now the center is hosting a fundraiser set up by local Cyndi Johnson, who is starting for the second year an annual quilt sale. The quilt in question is currently hanging at the senior center and ticket sales will begin with the upcoming weekend of the Missouri Days Festival. All proceeds made from this quilt will be donated to the center to use as they wish. Each Ticket is ten dollars and 100 tickets will be sold.

Ultimately, the North 65 Senior Center is more than a meal program; it is Trenton’s heartbeat for its senior citizens a place where everyone is welcome, everyone is cared for, and everyone matters.