The Big Sandy Mountaineer -

It certainly won't be the same at the Senior Citizen's Center after October 31 as that will be the last day that Linda Rutledge will be in charge of the center.

Karma Hale will be taking Linda's place on November 1.

Linda is a long term cook at the Senior Center. She started cooking for the Center in 2004. Before that she cooked for the hospital. She has always liked to cook as do her sisters and mother.

There is no doubt of Linda's favorite food. It is also the favorite food of her children and grandchildren. It is spaghetti and according to Linda, it is most comforting.

When Linda started cooking at the Senior Citizens Center Doris Gasvoda ran the operation.

Linda learned meal planning and how to buy, all things that make for cooking good food at the center. She took over as director in June of 2006.

There is a lot of cooking going on at the Center and it has really changed through the years. The Center cooks on average of 39 to 40 meals a month.

There have been difficulties at times. Sometimes it is difficult to serve casseroles and the like to a group who want primarily meat and potatoes.

And there is the commodity issue. There are no more commodities to speak of and when Linda started with the Center, commodities were depended on greatly.

The community has taken that burden from Linda. They have provided food which used to be provided by the government. Lots of chickens, eggs, hams, roasts and hamburger come into the Center every month from people who want to see the center continue on.

Don't discount Big Sandy churches. A church every quarter gives the Center three hundred dollars to buy food.

Then there are the dwindling numbers at all Senior Citizen's Centers. It seems that baby boomers do not want to be Senior Citizens. If that trend continues, it could be the end of Senior Citizens Centers as we know them.

Linda is proud of her work at the Center. She said that when she took over they were ten thousand dollars in the hole. Now they are solvent and have seen many huge improvements in the center.

The kitchen has been redone with all new appliances. There is a new side walk. There is a new roof and all new floors in the Center. That is mostly thanks to Lippard/Clawiter but having an annual fund raiser in conjunction with the Christmas Stroll has helped in bringing in more money. In addition to a good meal, there is a bake sale that day too.

"The support from the community has been fortunate. The Center couldn't be run without it. People have been very good to us," said Linda.

It certainly won't be the same at the Senior Citizen's Center after October 31 as that will be the last day that Linda Rutledge will be in charge of the center.

Karma Hale will be taking Linda's place on November 1.

Linda is a long term cook at the Senior Center. She started cooking for the Center in 2004. Before that she cooked for the hospital. She has always liked to cook as do her sisters and mother.

There is no doubt of Linda's favorite food. It is also the favorite food of her children and grandchildren. It is spaghetti and according to Linda, it is most comforting.

When Linda started cooking at the Senior Citizens Center Doris Gasvoda ran the operation.

Linda learned meal planning and how to buy, all things that make for cooking good food at the center. She took over as director in June of 2006.

There is a lot of cooking going on at the Center and it has really changed through the years. The Center cooks on average of 39 to 40 meals a month.

There have been difficulties at times. Sometimes it is difficult to serve casseroles and the like to a group who want primarily meat and potatoes.

And there is the commodity issue. There are no more commodities to speak of and when Linda started with the Center, commodities were depended on greatly.

The community has taken that burden from Linda. They have provided food which used to be provided by the government. Lots of chickens, eggs, hams, roasts and hamburger come into the Center every month from people who want to see the center continue on.

Don't discount Big Sandy churches. A church every quarter gives the Center three hundred dollars to buy food.

Then there are the dwindling numbers at all Senior Citizen's Centers. It seems that baby boomers do not want to be Senior Citizens. If that trend continues, it could be the end of Senior Citizens Centers as we know them.

Linda is proud of her work at the Center. She said that when she took over they were ten thousand dollars in the hole. Now they are solvent and have seen many huge improvements in the center.

The kitchen has been redone with all new appliances. There is a new side walk. There is a new roof and all new floors in the Center. That is mostly thanks to Lippard/Clawiter but having an annual fund raiser in conjunction with the Christmas Stroll has helped in bringing in more money. In addition to a good meal, there is a bake sale that day too.

"The support from the community has been fortunate. The Center couldn't be run without it. People have been very good to us," said Linda. So what is going to become of Linda? She doesn't know what is in her future but with husband Gerald, three children and eight grandchildren, Linda Rutledge will be busy!

We at "The Mountaineer" will miss Linda. We wish her well. She is of Big Sandy so we will see her around.

Thanks for all you have done for our Center and our community!