Area officials recently joined with Chautauqua Adult Day Services to open the non-profit organization’s new home at 358 E. Fifth St., in the former First Baptist Church of Jamestown. Submitted photo

Since opening the first Adult Day program in Chautauqua County in Jamestown the program has expanded to Dunkirk to provide services for northern Chautauqua County and also opened the Present Center, the first day program specifically for older adults with Alzheimer disease and memory loss. The agency also has a Latino Outreach to Seniors program that provides interpretation and translations services. For many years, the agency tried to find an affordable space to house its two Adult Day program sites, Latino Outreach Program and administrative and professional offices in Jamestown to reduce expenses and to accommodate its growing population. In 2019, The First Baptist Church of Jamestown located at 358 East Fifth St., Jamestown, wanted to make an everlasting contribution to the community and decided to donate its building to Chautauqua Adult Day Services. The new building would enable the agency to consolidate its operations and provide additional space for the Adult Day activity program.

The building was in need of renovations and the agency was able to obtain support and funding from a collaboration of funders to upgrade the facility. Funders included the Sheldon Foundation, Cummins Foundation, Chautauqua Region Community Foundation, Lenna Foundation, Carnahan Jackson Foundation, Lake Shore Savings Bank Community Reinvestment Fund, Hultquist Foundation and the City of Jamestown Community Development Block Grant Fund.

With renovations completed, Chautauqua Adult Day Services has been able to consolidate its operations and expand programming for the older adults who attend. A building dedication and open house took place in late June to celebrate its new building and 40 years of service to the community.

As part of the celebration, the agency has named the building the Bercik-Lucks Center in honor of Frank Bercik, executive director, and Karen Lucks, associate director, for their longtime commitment to the program and helping make the agency new building a reality. They both received recognition for their contributions at the celebration and the agency has put their name on the building thanking them. There was also a ribbon cutting as part of the dedication.

In addition to the naming of the building, the agency dedicated the Activity Room at the Frances B. Taft Center to Gerard Rocque, a long time board members and supporter of the Adult Day program. A plaque naming the room after Rocque has been placed in the activity room

For forty years, Chautauqua Adult Day Services, a United Way community partner, has provided the ability for caregivers to keep a loved one at home, get a break from caregiving and continue to be employed. The Adult Day programs have also enabled seniors to have quality of life through socialization and activity programming. The Adult Day program offers nutrition, transportation, case management services and community recreation. There are also music programs, arts and crafts and much more on an ongoing basis. Funding is available. For more information, call 665-4899 or visit www.seniordayprograms.com.