Jacki Frain with Judy Heater	Nathan Origer with Betty Stinemetz

Attendees at Wednesday’s 48^th annual senior citizens fair had an opportunity to visit information booths and participate in health screenings, followed by a lunch and a recognition program. Information was available on housing, in-home and longterm care options, nutrition, senior services and finances, volunteering, health education, and employment.

The organization’s 50^th anniversary was marked with cake and remembrances, led by PCHS executive director Jacki Frain who has overseen the program for 48 years. Several recognition awards were presented to community members and businesses who have provided support in the past year, or over a number of years to Human Services.

Among them was longtime board member Judy Heater who received the “Above and Beyond Award,” and Nathan Origer, executive director of Pulaski County Community Development Commission, whose office took extra measures to help secure two new transportation vans this year for PCHS’s Arrowhead Transportation Service. He was presented with a “Resource Mobilization” plaque by PCHS board president Betty Stinemetz.

PCHS History

PCHS began as the Pulaski County Council on Aging in November 1974. The State of Indiana partnered with the Area Agency on Aging designee, LCEOC, and held a community meeting of local leaders to establish a Pulaski County aging-service provider. The first Senior Citizen Nutrition Site was opened in Medaryville and provided a hot nutritious lunch to about 30 persons daily.

In March 1975, the local group formed a board and incorporated as a 501(c)3 not-profit organization focusing on providing services to the elderly. In coordination with the then Pulaski County CETA (Comprehensive Education and Training Act) Services, the organization obtained employees to work in the center, to staff the office located in Winamac, to drive the one minivan, to clean homes, to deliver hot lunches, and to link the elderly with other services to assist in the provision of appropriate living.

Additionally, community assessments were conducted to identify the needs of the elderly and/or low-income residents of Pulaski County. Outreach services were a main focus in seeking out the isolated and hard to reach elderly. The offices for PCHS were located on the bottom floor of the Post Office in Winamac after being housed in several churches, according to a history of the organization detailed on its website.

In 1979, a center was added in Winamac, and from 1981 to 1994 another operated in Monterey. During these years, community services expanded to include programs for all ages including Head Start; public transportation; writing grants for projects like the Pulaski County YMCA facility; special-purpose projects to distribute food, toys and clothing; operating the food pantry; childcare resource and referral; childcare-subsidy program; and other community-development initiatives focused on minimizing the needs of the elderly and or low-income.

PCHS has brought more than $15 million in services and employment compensation to Pulaski County. Training and job opportunities have been provided to our facilitated for approximately 150 individuals.

The retention and renovation of an historic downtown building allowed PCHS to have its own multi-purpose headquarters, which houses management, case-management, and public-transportation offices; information, referral, and outreach services; the food pantry; the Von Tobel Senior Center, and K-IRPC’s Winamac Head Start program. In 2005, a new facility was established in Medaryville to ensure service availability to the west side of the county.