Senior Center announces Dot Jess Memorial Fund

BREWSTER – Representatives from the Brewster-Pateros-Bridgeport Senior Center attended the regular monthly meeting of the Brewster Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, April 3, to announce the establishment of a new fund to help support Center operations.

Mary Johnson, representing Brewster, and Jack Wood, representing Pateros, read a letter composed by Johnson concerning a memorial fund being set up in the name of late member, Dorothy (Dot) Jess, who died last February. Jess served as the Brewster site director for Okanogan County Transportation and Nutrition, the organization that provides the meals and bus rides at the Senior Center. Jess was the director for more than two decades until her retirement in January of this year.

Johnson said that is was Jess’s wishes that the Senior Center remain open and in stable financial condition to insure its future operations. The letter read by Johnson said:

“The Brewster, Bridgeport and Pateros Senior Center is setting up a fund to ensure the Senior Center will be able to continue operating in the same way it has under the direction of Dot Jess for 24 years. It will be called the Dot Jess Memorial Fund.

The goal is to raise $30,000 which would cover one year of operating expenses, utilities, insurance, maintenance, replacements.

Please send donations to: Dot Jess Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 97, Brewster, WA 98812.”

Brewster city officials have also expressed their support to keep the Senior Center available to its local senior population. Towards that end, Mayor Art Smyth met with Senior Center President Kathy Lowry last Feb. 25, to discuss options to secure a long-term operating solution.