It’s a place where seniors go to stay engaged and active. Through its programs and services, it’s a community resource that serves the population 55 year old and older. And each day, an average of 135 seniors use it.

The Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center is a division of the City of Washington Parks and Recreation Department. It started small, by offering fitness-based activities for area seniors, but grew to include a chapter of the North Carolina Association of Senior Citizens and certification as a N.C. Senior Center of Excellence, requiring an expansion of its offerings, according to Carolyne Everett, the center’s supervisor.

The center offers a wide range of programs and services. A fitness room, equipped with weight machines, ellipticals, treadmills and the like, serves around 50 people per day. A billiards room hosts around a dozen men each day, who go out and eat lunch together and spend the afternoon shooting pool.

“Every group becomes its own social club,” Everett said. “There are programs for (seniors) to participate in. The best part of (the center) is the socialization. It provides a place for people to get up and get dressed and come to everyday, and there is a program for everyone that desires to be in a program.”

Other activities include hand sewing and painting, as well as pickle ball sessions, a mix of table tennis and regular tennis, at the Bobby Andrews Recreation Center on Thursdays and Fridays, Everett said. A walking program that serves around 70 people provides an opportunity to walk 80 miles in two months and offers a mystery trip incentive to those who complete the challenge, according to Everett.

In addition to the programs and activities provided by the center, there are also services available to help seniors in general, such as medical transportation, caregivers who provide liquid nutrition, support groups, help with signing up for Medicare, legal aid and more.

Everett said the center ultimately provides a means for seniors to stay active, giving them the ability to stay at home, in most cases, rather than turning to long-term living facilities.

“If you ask a person over 60 what they want out of life, they will tell you they want to live in their homes the rest of their lives,” Everett said. “Our mission is to keep people independent as long as we can. By offering programs and services, we hope to keep them engaged so they can do that.”

Everett challenges area seniors who are not active or familiar with the center to come to the center and tour the facility, she said.

“I would ask (seniors) what kind of things they really like to do,” Everett said. “If we don’t have (what they like), we’ll be glad to offer it. And if I couldn’t find something where they had a good match, it would be a great idea to volunteer here, meet the people here and see how much everyone enjoys the programs. The best way to get someone involved is by networking.”

The Grace Martin Harwell Senior Center is located at 310 W. Main St. in Washington. For more information, call 252-975-9368.