Ark Valley News - Right at Home

Scharlene Porchia-Washington says she feels at home at the Valley Center Senior Club. “I love listening to their life stories and connecting with them," she said.

Right at Home
By Chris Strunk
Last Updated: May 26, 2016

New senior director wants club to continue growing

Scharlene Porchia-Washington says she may have been born 20 years too late.

"I'm an old soul," she said.

The 40-year-old Porchia-Washington is right at home, then, as the new director of the Valley Center Senior Club.

"I really feel like I connect more with people older than I am," she said. "I love listening to their life stories and connecting with them."

Porchia-Washington started her newly-created position last month.

The city council agreed to hire her as a part-time director who also will serve as a part-time office staffer at City Hall. The senior club had been without a director for five months. Previously, the director's position was on a contract basis.

Porchia-Washington has a tall task — grow the organization to reach as many Valley Center senior citizens as possible with activities and education. The task would've been much more difficult, however, had it not been for a handful of volunteers who have pulled together to breathe life into the group, scheduling activities and meals for the past five months and piecing together the backbone of a member-driven organization.

"They saw there was a need," Porchia-Washington said. "We'll definitely work together to make this grow."

Porchia-Washington, who is from Wichita, holds a master's degree in aging studies from Wichita State University. She previously interned at the Northeast Senior Center in Wichita, where she developed her passion for serving the older generation.

"It seemed so much more like fun than work," she said. "… It's become like a family to me."

Porchia-Washington said her job is to provide activities, events and educational opportunities for senior citizens. But more than that, she said, her focus is on making one-on-one connections with the group's members, learning how to play pickleball and pitch.

"Seniors who are isolated tend to have more health problems and struggle with depression," she said. "When they're involved with people their own age, they really experience an improvement in their quality of life."

Porchia-Washington said she is gathering input about what kinds of activities club members are interested in.

She said some future programming may include foot care education as well as trips to casinos and restaurants.

"This doesn't really feel like work," Porchia-Washington said. "To me, it really doesn't. … You really want joy to come into their hearts. If we can do that, it really makes a difference."