Senior Center dedicates new classroom
Published 2:56 pm Thursday, July 18, 2019
- Jean and Tom's family. Back row left to right: Beverly Steinhaus, Gerald Poplin, Lynn Poplin, Dustin Poplin, Carla Poplin. Front row: Jack Steinhaus, Jean Rabe, Sophie Poplin and Braden Poplin.
The Stanly County Senior Center held a dedication ceremony Thursday for a new classroom named after Tom and Jean Rabe.
The room, which used to be part of a garage bay area and was once an armory kitchen, will be used for activities such as card games, arts and crafts, programs and meetings, Becky Weemhoff, director of Stanly County Senior Services, said.
The Tom and Jean Rabe Room sign.
“We wanted to make sure we kept the character of the room intact,” Weemhoff said.
Tom approached Weemhoff in 2016, inquiring about any needs the senior center had. In 2017, he presented a check to the senior center for a new classroom.
Though Tom died last year, Jean was at the dedication along with her family.
“This means so much,” Jean said. “This room and this facility serves so many people with exercise, entertainment and companionship. It’s just a wonderful place for the whole community and it’s just wonderful to be a little bit a part of it.”
She said she plans to play bridge in the new classroom.
“Gifts like this are so valuable to us,” County Manager Andy Lucas said. “We have been good stewards of those dollars…and we will make sure we take care of this facility and this room so that generations that come can enjoy it.”
The classroom consists of four tables, a granite countertop kitchen, closet space and windows.
“I want the room to be a place that people feel comfortable coming to and have a lot of fun,” Weemhoff said. “Jean and Tom are leaving a legacy.”
Contact Chris Miller at 704-982-2122.
About Chris Miller
Chris Miller has been with the SNAP since January 2019. He is a graduate of NC State and received his Master's in Journalism from the University of Maryland. He previously wrote for the Capital News Service in Annapolis, where many of his stories on immigration and culture were published in national papers via the AP wire.
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