In the statement, Brock apologized for not “adequately” explaining the issues faced by Lewis County Seniors in her writing, which she called “an attempt to address a very serious problem we are experiencing.” In the nonprofit’s monthly newsletter, board President Carol Brock announced new rules for attendees: “acceptance, diversity, inclusion, no bullying,” and, most notably, “no prayer, no politics.”Īttendees and onlookers were quick to lambast the new policy in protest, meeting comments, letters and comments to staff, including one instance where a woman at the Twin Cities Senior Center was calling staff members “Jews” because of the new policy, according to Lewis County Seniors Financial and Operations Manager Nicole Barr.īrock, in a statement sent to The Chronicle on Friday, said the policy was responding to complaints from staff and seniors over attendees leading “audible and clearly denominational prayers from the podium with a microphone prior to our congregate meals.” The centers are run by the Lewis County Seniors nonprofit, which collects money from the Older Americans Act. The centers also serve as community halls, hosting seminars and town halls after hours. In the six centers - in Morton, Pe Ell, Packwood, Toledo, the Twin Cities and Winlock (Olequa) - senior citizens are welcome to visit for coffee, social hours and meals. While the matter was discussed, there was no vote.Ĭontroversy at the Lewis County Senior Centers in the last week has reached well beyond any game of cutthroat cribbage. By Owen Sexton and Isabel Vander Stoep / The Chronicle staffĮditor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated the Lewis County Seniors board voted to revise its policy on prayer and politics and the county's senior centers.
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