Simple meals are doing big things at the Milford Senior Center.
The center hosts a monthly potato bake fundraiser that brings people together over food, fellowship and a shared goal of supporting the center.
Hosted from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month, the potato bake typically serves between 50 and 100 people, with increased traffic during the summer. The event does not take place in November or December due to the holidays.
In exchange for a $10 donation, the meal includes a salad bar, desserts and a large baked potato with topping options, including chili, Easy Cheese, shredded cheese, broccoli, bacon, onions and sour cream.
Ron Oswald of Milford said his favorite part of the potato bake is the potato.
“It’s easier to come over and enjoy the baked potato and all the toppings instead of having to buy everything and have leftovers at home,” he said. “Oh! And the pie!”
The fundraiser helps cover expenses not included in the center’s city-provided budget. Milford Senior Center Director Mystique Lauer said that while the city provides a generous budget, it does not cover extras that seniors enjoy, such as certain foods and entertainment.
“I refer to it as a skeleton budget,” she said. “If we want fluff, we have to feed that skeleton. So, we need to show the city the vibrancy of the senior center and the people that come here.”
Recently, the center used its potato bake funds to help replace chair covers and renovate the multipurpose room to be more comfortable and inviting. Proceeds from the next fundraisers are set to help replace windows, do tile work in the kitchen and continue to hire quality, ever-changing entertainment.
Beyond fundraising, Lauer said the potato bake provides meaningful volunteer opportunities to the community.
“For aged people that can’t get too far, like go to Lincoln to help with Matt Talbot Kitchen, they can’t do that anymore, but they can do this,” she said. “They can come take money, they can come help with the potatoes, they can wipe tables off, they can bake a pie and bring it in. It’s a huge morale booster for folks to be able to contribute in any way.”
Lauer said seniors value the fellowship and the chance to spend time with others in the community during the event.
“I'd recommend the potato bake as it's a great way to get together and help support a great senior center,” said Marianne Pasho of Milford. “It helps reconnect to people I may have lost contact with.”
The Milford Senior Center is always open and full of treats, activities and camaraderie on weekdays from 8 a.m. until varying times in the afternoon. Regular social time helps everyone thrive, and the center's seniors love to speak with their friends and share stories, Lauer said.
“We had music bingo yesterday, and I haven’t laughed that hard in I don’t know how long,” she said. “It was so much fun, and you just don’t realize the importance of that community and of your peers and not sitting watching the TV all of the time.”
Lauer said the center and its fundraisers are all about community and support. It is always brimming with joy.
“I enjoy everybody coming together at the potato bake, knowing that it’s going to be fun, it’s going to be hard work, but you’re going to get to see some friends that we haven’t seen for a while,” she said. “It’s the camaraderie and people stepping up to help others out.”
