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THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center in Palm Valley was transformed from a bushel of palmettos to a warm and welcoming place for seniors and the St. Johns County Community in 2007. THE PLAYERS Championship donated $300,000 dollars towards the construction of this new $1.8 million, 10,000 square foot facility located off County Road 210 and Landrum Lane.

The transformation of THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center in Palm Valley.

Less than 10 minutes from TPC Sawgrass, the center will provide a unique and important opportunity for seniors and others living in the St. Johns County community. During the morning and afternoon hours the center will focus on senior services, in the afternoon children will attend after-school programs and the facility is available for community meetings and events in the evening hours.

To meet all these needs, THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center is equipped with an art room, library, computer lab, exercise room, restaurant-sized kitchen, wrap around veranda and a meeting area with space for 100 people.

While the center will be multi-purpose, its focus is on the growing population of aging Baby Boomers. Julie Wright, Program Manager for The St. John's County Council on Aging said, "The Council is committed to helping seniors stay independent for as long as possible and enjoy wellness, longevity, and quality of life." The Center will offer diverse programs including educational classes, physical fitness, intellectual stimulation, socialization and entertainment.

To keep seniors active both physically and mentally, Wright is also organizing opportunities in kayaking, bird watching, gardening, writing, poetry, storytelling, tai chi, yoga, arts and crafts, chair exercises, health, computers, digital photography, bridge and scrabble. "We will expand programming as participation grows at THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center," Wright added. "We will also continue to offer a care giver support group for individuals who provide direct care."

Minna Barnes, 93, couldn't be happier about the new center, which she describes as "all this and heaven too." The center will play a pivotal role in the lives of seniors, especially for those experiencing the isolation that accompanies the death of a spouse, aging friends or children who have moved away. Having a welcoming and vibrant center gives seniors a place to feel supported and engaged in life. Another senior, Ursula Weinreich said, "Many people come to the center because it makes them happy and they laugh a great deal."

The front entrance of THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center will allow the community to put their personal touch on this facility. The front entrance will be decorated with engraved bricks purchased by local residents, businesses and community leaders. In a continuing effort to support the center, every past and future PLAYERS champion will have his name on the bricks that border the entryway, as purchased by THE PLAYERS Championship. If you would like to support the Center and ensure your place or someone you'd like to honor next to our PLAYERS champions, contact the St. Johns Council on Aging at 904-823-2228. The grand opening of THE PLAYERS Community Senior Center is scheduled for early June.