Photographer / Jubilee Edgell
The Marshall County Council on Aging has been improving lives since it opened in 1974.
The agency has produced many successful programs and services to help senior citizens in the county over the last 45 years. Among the many great services they offer, their public transit system has been well received by the public.
Jackie Wright, executive director of the council, says “The agency is the public transit for Marshall County. We have 10 vans providing transit for all of Marshall County.”
The Plymouth City Transportation Service is only $2.50 a person per boarding. Frequent rider discount cards are available, and medical transportation is also provided.
Wright says the council strives to make life easier for senior citizens.
“We also do Meals on Wheels, a Senior Expo, produce and distribute the Senior Guide, and have a senior center, ‘The Life Enrichment Center,’ in Plymouth,” Wright says.
The Senior Expo is held annually at Plymouth High School. It has free admission, free food, free entertainment, free health screenings, flu shots, over 60 vendors, and hundreds of door prizes. They had another successful expo last October.
The free Senior Guide tells people all of the resources and services the Marshall County Council on Aging provides. Wright says the guide meets a need for accurate, user-friendly information. The council distributes 17,000 Senior Guides throughout the Marshall County area, as well as to extended families all over the county.
The Life Enrichment Center of Harrison Street is a busy hub for people looking for interaction, information, and social activities, as well as a variety of services for young and old adults alike.
“We also run a rep/payee program, a tax program with AARP, and senior Insurance counseling,” Wright says. “Our goal is to keep individuals as independent and safe as possible. We do that through information and service to individuals, as well as the families of those individuals.”
Wright noted that the vision of the council is to support the rights and privileges of older adults by providing a comfortable environment in which to enhance their lives through social participation and community involvement. They also give them a choice of varied educational and health related activities.
The Marshall County Council also doesn’t restrict itself to just one area of the county.
“We are physically in Plymouth but can meet with individuals anywhere and provide service for the entire county,” Wright says. “I feel we have a good relationship with many cities, as well as other providers in the county. We meet regularly with various city councils and county representatives to educate on what we do and secure a relationship with them.”
The council goes out of its way to make the public aware of all the services they offer.
“We do numerous speaking events to help the community and individuals be aware of what we offer, and what is available not only through our agency, but available period,” Wright says.
The council also works with several other agencies to help the lives of seniors.
“We involve United Way, Triad, and the Chambers of Commerce through Marshall County, and numerous committees and programs throughout the county that enhance quality of life for all that live in Marshall County,” Wright says.
The Marshall County Council on Aging is located at 1305 W. Harrison Street in Plymouth. They can be reached at 574-936-9904 or toll-free at 1-866-936-9904. For additional information, visit them at marshallcountycouncilonaging.org.
