[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9632]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING MONTPELIER SENIOR ACTIVITY CENTER

 Mr. SANDERS. Mr. President, this month we celebrate the 
Montpelier Senior Activity Center's 50th anniversary. For half a 
century, the center has provided opportunities for healthy aging and 
lifelong learning that enhance the quality of life for seniors. The 
Montpelier Senior Activity Center, established in 1967 and nestled in 
our State's capital, has the mission of enhancing the quality of life 
for the older adults in the Montpelier area by developing physical, 
mental, cultural, social, and economic well-being in a welcoming and 
flexible environment.
  A Nation is judged by how it cares for its most vulnerable. It is 
undeniable that we are living in a time when many Vermonters and 
Americans are having to do more with less and the most vulnerable among 
us are making the unacceptable decisions like choosing between paying 
for healthcare, food on the table, or a roof over their head. In 
Vermont, more than 11,000 seniors are living in poverty.
  At a time of massive political discontent, we need to focus on 
building up, not dismantling, our communities. In Montpelier, VT, just 
that is happening, as seniors are able to access services that help 
them live out their lives in dignity.
  The center serves more than 1,000 seniors every year, including more 
than one of every five seniors in Montpelier. In 2016, the Montpelier 
Senior Activity Center provided more than 17,000 nutritious home-
delivered and community meals for seniors. More than 80 percent of 
senior activity center participants report that their participation 
makes them feel healthier.
  The Montpelier Senior Activity Center celebrated its 50-year 
anniversary on Saturday, June 10, 2017. To know that seniors have been 
able to access supportive care and resources for so long and have truly 
become a well-established part of the community is commendable. As 
Montpelier Senior Activity Center Day is commemorated, please 
understand that the center's work saves and empowers countless lives. I 
join the Montpelier community to celebrate this milestone 
anniversary.

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