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Mary Dudley spoke to more than 45 people during the Friday Hillsboro Senior Center luncheon. Dudley resigned as director and offered thanks to everyone for their support during her tenure. She started the position in March of this year. |
The Hillsboro Senior Center is searching for someone to replace Mary Dudley, who resigned as its director Friday after seven months in the position.
?I want to say that I have truly enjoyed being a part of your senior center,? she told more than 40 people at the senior center luncheon on Friday.
The decision to resign was not easy, Dudley said, and at one point, she believed whatever problems there had been could be resolved.
?When I returned to the center on Wednesday (Sept. 30),? she said, ?I thought everything had been agreed on in Manhattan,? the location of the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, which oversees the local group.
Dudley said she wanted the Center to be a place where everyone could come and enjoy a good meal and fellowship.
Without getting more specific, Dudley expressed her gratitude.
?Thanks for all your support, visits and phone calls of encouragement,? she said. ?What a group of seniors you have been, models of true Christian living for me.?
Kermit Ratzlaff, chairman of the center?s site board, said Dudley will be missed.
?The site board and the clients of the Hillsboro Senior Center were saddened by the resignation of our manager, Mary Dudley,? he said. ?It was clearly evident during her tenure that she loved the senior clients.?
Dudley said she hasn?t decided what she will do next.
?I am not one to do nothing,? she said.
During her short tenure, Dudley said she thinks the board has done a lot of things.
?We started a musical jam session once a month and got the van trips going,? she said.
Eunice Matz, Ratzlaff said, will serve temporarily as the center?s manager until a replacement is found.
?We appreciated Mary?s efforts to improve the operation of several aspects of our nutrition center,? he said.
The local center is affiliated with the North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging, which works in partnership with local senior citizens, county aging organizations and state and federal agencies to plan, coordinate and sponsor a wide variety of programs and services to keep older Kansans active, healthy and independent.
