January 9, 2023
To the Valued Citizens of Amarillo:
This letter will share a bit about Amarillo Senior Citizens’ Association (“ASCA”) and its forthcoming efforts on behalf of Amarillo’s senior community.
A group of Amarillo community leaders formed ASCA in July, 1973. Its formation was the culmination of several decades of public and private efforts to address the needs of senior citizens of Amarillo. Over the ensuing decades, ASCA instituted and maintained a variety of programs and services to respond to the social, psychological and emotional needs of older adults in the Amarillo community. It sponsored clubs to satisfy specific interests of the members. Low-cost meals were available daily, and medical screenings and financial assistance were provided for those who requested the services. Special events were held throughout the year to spur social interaction among the members.
In short, ASCA used its charter in a variety of ways to provide services that enhanced the physical and psychological well being of its members. ASCA was delt a major blow in 2020 when Amarillo College opted to terminate its lease of the building that housed the organization for more than 40 years. The loss of those facilities prompted many members of the ASCA Board of Directors to resign and adversely impacted the ability of ASCA to attract and retain members. Moving to temporary location in 2020 and 2021 proved costly and ineffective.
This past September concerned citizens installed a new Board of Directors and embarked on the process of reinvigorating ASCA. The new Board of Directors is composed of individuals with varied backgrounds, embracing experiences in business, law and public accountancy.
Faced with the permanent loss of its facilities, the Board of Directors, with the assistance of interested members, purchased from Potter County a large, vacant building at 2404 SW 6 th Avenue in Amarillo in early 2021. The building requires substantial renovation to make it suitable to deliver the programs and services ASCA provided historically. The revitalized Board of Directors embraced the challenge to fund the costs of the renovation and anticipates that a substantial portion of the services of ASCA will be available at the refurbished facility in the very near future.
Consonant with its efforts to look to its future, ASCA will adopt the assumed name of “55+ Club of Amarillo” in its operations. The name reflects ASCA’s goal to address the needs of a major segment of the Amarillo Community.
The officers and Directors of ASCA look forward to your support in the coming year as ASCA becomes again a vital, positive factor in the community of senior citizens of Amarillo.
Sincerely,
Thomas Scherlen, President
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