In 1990 a local woman living in the Town of Highland had a fantastic idea. Her name was Shirley Reuter and she concluded that the Town needed a public community Center for the large number of local seniors and veterans. Shirley along with her husband Ken who was the VFW commander became the driving force in gathering like-minded folks to the cause, raising over $250,000 in funds to make it a reality and were successful in getting the Center approved, built, and having the Center opened its doors on November 21,1994. In 2017 in recognition of Shirley Reuter’s extraordinary accomplishments in getting the Senior Center up and running a new sign was installed officially designating the site as the Shirley Reuter Senior and Community Center in her honor.

Since its opening thirty one years ago next month, the Center has become a huge success as a community resource and mainstay for fun activities-card games, shuffleboard, summer barbeques, a bocci court, monthly VFW Post #6427 and senior meetings, luncheons, Mexican dominos, penny socials, holiday parties, day trips to local attractions, and Bingo games as well as charitable events for the United Way and Toys for Tots. After all these years of use by the community, the Center needed repairs and refurbishing and food safety upgrades made to the kitchen.

Town of Highland Supervisor John Pizzolato got a grant from the New York State Office of Children and Families for $50,000 to cover the costs of the renovations for the Senior Center and the kitchen so there was no expense to the taxpayers for the project. The kitchen was last worked on twenty-six years ago and with the current renovations being completed it can now accommodate new food programs and is now a commercial grade facility making it a safer place to prepare meals for seniors, veterans, and the community. The project included repairs to the plumbing, the installation of a fast cycle professional dishwasher, a new separate free-standing freezer and refrigerator units, stainless countertops and workstations, new storage units and a three bay commercial sink. The floors and carpets of the entire Center were steamed cleaned and the kitchen’s grease trap replaced with a new energy efficient model. All the cooking equipment, dishes, cutlery pots and pans were replaced, and it is now ready to be used for much needed community  programs and special events. The first event for families from our local schools was held in May-a free Movie Night showing the Kung Fu Panda movie followed by a Chinese dinner prepared by local chef Michael Che. The next free event will be a community lunch utilizing the newly completed kitchen and will be held on Tuesday, October 21st at 1pm.

The Senior and Community Center is located at 725 State Route 55 in Eldred NY and it is available to rent for $250.00 per event. There are general rules to follow and for details call the Highland Town Clerk at 845-557-6085.

When I asked Supervisor John Pizzolatto about how he felt about completing the Center renovations, he told me that it was a very positive project for the residents of Highland and came in on budget at no cost to the taxpayers, and the Senior Center looks wonderful and is now in great shape. He said he “was honored to be able to undertake the Center’s renovation project and to be able to contribute in a small way to continuing the community spirit legacy started so long ago by Shirley Reuter.” He then told me that the renovations to the Town of Highland Court House in Barryville are continuing but unlike the Senior Center the Court House building dates to 1867 and presents a whole set of other problems to resolve but it should be completed next year.