Roby Fitzgerald Adult Center celebrates 50 year anniversary

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Roby Fitzgerald Adult Center in Greeneville has been touching the lives of people in the Greene County community for the past 50 years. On Tuesday, the center celebrated its 50th anniversary.

“One of the fastest growing populations we have in our community is folks over the age of 50,” said Greeneville City Mayor Cal Doty. “It gives them a place to come, get together and mingle and have fun.”

The Roby Center offers 25 programs for seniors in the community.

“A lot of the people that I’ve had a chance to meet here are living by themselves or without children,” said Mayor Doty. “It gives them a place to get out and see people.”

Director of the Roby Center Nicole Rader said their goal is to keep their members socially and physically active, and they do that through each program.

“We added back our pottery painting downstairs, our woodshop, we have a new puzzle piece area and it helps with brain games,” said Rader. “We also got some new exercise equipment up in our wellness room.”

Doreen Bible has been a member at the center for the past 8 years, and she said it has been her saving grace.

“My husband died, and I came to this, this is what I call my second home,” said Bible. “It helped me 100% to be with other people.”

Bible told News Channel 11 she doesn’t know where she would be with out the support of the friends and the leaders she has met at the Roby Center.

“I think it’s a wonderful place and I hope to be here until the day I die,” said Bible.

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