Senior center works to make house livable

After months of dirty work, the Kalispell Senior Center’s adjacent house is approaching readiness for renters to move in.

Russ Penne, a senior who has helped lead the renovation, said the project could be done by the end of the month.

“All we have left is painting,” he said. “And we’ve got most of that done already.”

The house was vacated in late spring when the previous renter passed away. The house was in a shambles, with smoke and water damage obvious throughout the residence.

Jim Pearson, the senior center’s former board president, said the end-of-the-month timeline might be overly optimistic. 

“There is still plenty to do in there,” he said. 

The mostly senior-led restoration team has done the cleaning, repairs and renovations to get the house back to habitable conditions. Getting the job done as soon as possible is vital to the senior center’s coffers.

The Kalispell Senior Center relies on the $700 monthly rental income from the house to supplement its budget. The lack of that money, as well as the cost of supplies, has posed a fund drain on the already strapped-for-cash center.

“It’s really starting to dig into us,” Pearson said. “We lost the swing dance [class] as well, so that’s another loss of money.”

The financial blow came after the Flathead County commissioners voted to pursue a grant that would evaluate the county’s senior centers, Kalispell included.

That Community Development Block Grant could reach as high as $30,000, with the county having to raise $1 for every $3 of federal money. This means out-of-pocket costs for the county would reach a maximum of $10,000.

The members of the Kalispell Senior Center have thought for years that the rental house wasn’t fit for its members. The grant could confirm or deny this.

“It will determine what needs to be done with it,” Pearson said, explaining his interpretation of the grant. “And determine what the alternatives are.”

While the grant moves through the process, the center is looking for volunteers to continue with the renovation work. Khit Harding, the Kalispell Senior Center director, said volunteers could speed the project along.

For more information, call the center at 257-1598.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.