CMC cuts ties with Senior Connection

Published 6:31 pm Friday, March 25, 2011

Chilton Medical Center’s Senior Connection Program will no longer be funded by the hospital, CEO Herschel Breig confirmed Friday.

The 20-year-old program has 350 lifetime members, 81 who are active in the group.

“It’s a good program,” said Breig. “It’s probably something we can look at having back, but short-term, we have to get costs under control.”

Breig and Senior Connection administrators met Friday morning to discuss the matter and plans for moving forward.

“They are welcome to use the building and facility, but we are just not able to fund it anymore,” said Breig. “We’re having to make some sacrifices in the hospital.”

Vanessa McKinney, project coordinator, said the project will not miss a beat.

“A lot of people count on this program daily and we will continue to do everything we’ve been doing,” McKinney said. “I know there is a senior center, and I do not want to take away from what we have in the county, but hopefully we can keep going and take it somewhere else.”

Funding will cease after the first week in April.

Events planned through March will continue as scheduled.