It all started back in September 1973 when a group of concerned citizens held a meeting and defined the need for a Senior Center in Wood County. That meeting helped to develop an organization centered on helping older adults in Wood County remain independent while improving the quality of their lives. Today, that organization is known as the Wood County Committee on Aging, Inc. (WCCOA). In 1975, WCCOA was founded and the first Senior Center opened on the Wood County Fairgrounds. From 1981 to 2021, WCCOA was located at the former Bowling Green Post office at 305 North Main Street. Groundbreaking for a new facility took place in 2019, and WCCOA moved to the new location at 140 South Grove Street on March 22, 2021. Seven “satellite” senior center locations are also in operation including: the Rossford Area Senior Center (1977), Perrysburg Area Senior Center (1985), North Baltimore Area Senior Center (1988), Northeast Area Senior Center in Walbridge (2001), Pemberville and Wayne Area Senior Centers (2008) and Grand Rapids Area Senior Center (2019). All seven satellite locations and the Wood County Senior Center in Bowling Green are in operation Monday through Friday with varying hours due to the current COVID-19 restrictions. In 2007, WCCOA began operating in a new production kitchen, located on East Gypsy Lane Road in Bowling Green to meet the demands of a growing nutrition program. Throughout the pandemic, WCCOA has continued to serve the older adults of Wood County, offering home delivered meals, medical equipment loans, medical transportation and virtual programming. In 2020, WCCOA completed 849 non-emergency medical escorts, and served 216,383 meals—including 204,508 home delivered meals. WCCOA was able to offer programming both in person (January through mid-March) and virtually (mid-March through December), allowing 1,204 unduplicated participants to learn, connect with others, and engage in meaningful opportunities throughout the county. WCCOA is committed to providing older adults throughout Wood County with the resources they need to maintain their independence and enjoy this season of life. For more information, contact us at (419) 353-5661 or (800) 367-4935.
