ARDMORE, Okla. – Chickasaw Nation Governor Bill Anoatubby was joined by several of the Ardmore area’s Chickasaw elders and tribal officials to unveil the new Chickasaw Nation Ardmore Senior Center in a special ribbon cutting ceremony Monday, July 23.

The new 9,730 square-foot facility, located at 2420 Chickasaw Blvd., is open to all Chickasaw and Native American elders who live in the area.

“The Chickasaw Nation has always emphasized the importance of serving our seniors,” said Gov. Anoatubby. “This new senior center, along with the other recent additions to the Ardmore campus, helps us achieve our mission of enhancing the overall quality of life of the Chickasaw people.”

The new Ardmore Senior Center includes a full-service kitchen and large dining room, a separate computer room, an exercise room, a craft and game room, and a covered entrance for pick-up and drop-off.

The new building is positioned for easy access to other Chickasaw facilities, such as nutrition services, the new health clinic and the wellness center, and is directly across the street from the Chickasaw Nation elder independent living apartments.

The Chickasaw Nation,s Ardmore campus has seen plenty of construction in recent years. The elder independent living apartments were dedicated in the summer of 2011 and just this past Monday, July 16, the new Chickasaw Nation Ardmore Health Clinic was opened.

“We are very excited to see our Ardmore Campus blossom into a holistic service center for our citizens and other Native Americans,” said Gov. Anoatubby. “We feel with each new addition and improvement, we are one-step closer to meeting all the needs of our people.”

In 1988, the very first Chickasaw senior site in the Ardmore area was located in the community center gymnasium. The previous senior center was opened in 1996, but the needs of the area elders outgrew the facility.

The Chickasaw Nation currently has 12 senior centers located in Achille, Ada, Ardmore, Colbert, Connerville, Duncan, Kullihoma, Madill, Pauls Valley, Purcell, Sulphur and Tishomingo, and one senior nutrition program in Oklahoma City.

At the centers, the Chickasaw Nation Aging program offers meals, health screenings, exercise classes, trips and education about a variety of subjects.

For more information about the Colbert Senior Center and eligibility requirements, call the Chickasaw Nation Division of Aging at (580) 795-9790.