By Melanie Davis
Sherry Harmon may be retiring, but she isn’t
leaving the Project on Aging.
Sherry Harmon, pictured
at the Lois E. Harrill Senior Center, is retiring
from 30 years of service to Watauga’s senior
citizens. Photo
by Mark Mitchell |
For more than 30 years, Harmon has had a presence in the
lives of the senior citizens of Watauga County in some form.
In began in 1976, shortly after her graduation from Appalachian
State University. The Watauga native majored in sociology
and began working through Project on Aging. After taking
some time off, Harmon returned to Project on Aging, through
the Volunteers in Service to the Area program, as the volunteer
coordinator.
When the first Watauga senior center opened in 1978, Harmon
became the director. She took four years off when her daughter
was born, but she was ever-present at the center. During
her time away, Harmon remained on the advisory board and
taught a humanities course for center participants.
Harmon said she very much enjoyed the class, which focused
on remembering history through discussion. Harmon designed
a special section to accompany the course on local history.
“I always enjoyed hearing their stories about how national
events, like the Great Depression, affected local residents,”
she said.
Harmon returned to the position of director after her four-year
break. Her main duties were to facilitate the activities
and supervise contracted employees. “When I started,
the activities were a priority, but over the years, activities
morphed into multi-purpose,” Harmon said.
The first center was located on King Street and was comprised
of a dining room, lounge area, classroom and a shared conference
room.
“It was grand and glorious, but we outgrew it in no
time,” Harmon said.
The Lois E. Harrill Senior Center, in the current location,
opened in 1997. After the move, Harmon had three classrooms,
an exercise room, a computer lab, more space and more parking
to work with and expand the services offered at the center.
The center began to offer more in-depth programs. Some examples
are the Seniors Health Insurance Program (SHIP), in which
volunteers trained through the Federal Insurance Commission
help seniors with Medicare coverage, comprehensive health
screenings through Watauga Medical Center and the Tax Aide
Program is another program that utilizes trained volunteers.
Another change Harmon noted over the years was the implementation
of a suggestion box.
“Crafts diminished and field trips and exercise classes
were requested,” she said. “This goes along with
the trend that people are living longer and being more active.”
The center now offers four exercise classes throughout the
day during the week and Yoga and Thai Chi in the evenings.
In 2002, Harmon began a certification program through the
state program Senior Center Operations and Program Evaluation
(SCOPE). There are three levels of certification, from uncertified
centers to centers of merit or excellence. The evaluation
is based on the level of services and activities offered.
That first year, the center reached the highest mark with
a Center of Excellence recognition. They have maintained
that certification since.
“The center has blossomed along the way,” Harmon
said. “It has been well worth the work to see the growth
and increased demand at the center.”
Although Harmon retired in January from the director position,
she said she will continue to volunteer at the center, particularly
the SHIP program.
“Probably the best memories I have are the relationships
I have seen develop between participants,” Harmon said.
“I have seen some marriages and some friends who meet
outside of the center.”
The center is designed to be a place to meet and be engaged.
Harmon said many live alone or have just lost a spouse,
and the center provides a new focus and a means to reconnect.
Throughout her time with the Project on Aging and serving
as director of the center, Harmon has come into contact
with up to three generations of a single family. She will
meet the children of parents and grandparents she has known
over the years.
“We have been so fortunate as an organization over
the years to have the support of our county commissioners,”
Harmon said. “Their support has a lot to do with the
success of the center.”
She added that the nonprofits in the county also added to
the services available.
“The whole nonprofit community in this county in supportive,”
Harmon said. “We were about to network and refer participants
to agencies if we couldn’t meet their specific need.
It was never acceptable to say, ‘I can’t help
you.’”
In retirement, Harmon said she looks forward to branching
out in her volunteer endeavors to give back to the nonprofit
community.
“It is important to me to stay connected to the community
and remain involved,” she said.
Harmon said she is retiring in part because she wants to
travel and take long weekends. Another reason is to spend
additional time with her husband, former Veteran Services
Officer for the county Jim Harmon, who retired two years
ago. The couple is planning a trip to Turkey in June to
watch their daughter get married. She now lives and teaches
English there.
Harmon also laughs as she says she thought she was prepared
for retirement, planning to read the books she never got
to and organize her home. “I felt like I knew what
was coming, but different when you get here.”
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