Seniors and other stakeholders gathered Thursday to launch a new membership drive, one that will support the local senior center and give members a voice in its programming decisions.

The Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center Partners is the fundraising branch of the Washington city-owned center. While the nonprofit is about five years old, the membership initiative is new, and a way to expand its programming and pull in more volunteers.

“Our goal is to supplement the tax dollars,” said Pat Capeheart Brown, chairman of the nonprofit. “This allows us to provide more programs and services for the center.”

The center serves more than 3,000 seniors from across Beaufort County, according to Director Carolyne Everett. Funding comes primarily from the City of Washington, with federal and state help, along with a partnership with United Way. Everett said over the last several years, funding for the center has decreased.

“The state and federal funds and some of the United Way funds are decreasing because people just don’t have as much to give,” Everett said.

The city-owned senior center can’t do its own fundraising, so the seniors themselves are stepping in, offering memberships at different levels, ranging from a base membership of $10 to business/agency “gold” memberships of $100.

“I think it’s hard for seniors to push for funding,” Everett said. “I’m just really happy that they’ve gone out on their own and started a membership drive.”

The Partners membership drive is completely separate from activities offered at the center — its use remains free for seniors 55 and older. But membership will provide a voice in programming decisions, according to Everett.

“Everyone who gives them $10 is actually going to want to be vested in what’s happening in senior center,” Everett said.

Membership is not only limited to seniors, Brown said.

“Anybody who has an interest in providing services to the older population can join,” Brown said. “Lots of younger people have used the senior center for help with care plans for parents.”

Washington Mayor Mac Hodges attended the coffee and snacks meeting and shared a story about how one Washington resident made his decision to retire in Washington over New Bern because of the city’s senior center and its many activities including yoga, Tai Chi, aerobics, sewing and painting classes, in addition to an exercise facility, Bingo games, educational programming and many more offerings.

“This is one of the better things the city does,” Hodges said.

For more information about becoming a Partner, contact the senior center at 252-975-9368.