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Residents and nonprofits ask Easley council to support new senior center, aid soup kitchen; resident praises cemetery upkeep
Summary
During public comments, representatives announced a new senior center opening at the former YMCA, Shine soup kitchen requested donations and a relocation lead, and a resident commended cemetery cleanup; a resident also praised the council for tabling an acceptable-use policy resolution.
Representatives of local nonprofits and residents used the public‑comment period to announce a senior‑center ribbon cutting, ask for donations and help locating a new facility for a soup kitchen, and thank the city for cemetery upkeep.
Kim Valentin, representing Pickens County Meals on Wheels, said the organization will open a third senior center in Easley at the renovated former YMCA at 250 Burns Road. Valentin invited the council to a ribbon cutting on Aug. 28 at 11 a.m. and said the center will open for regular programming Monday through Friday starting Sept. 2. “We will have activities each day…open from 08:30 to 02:30. The membership is $25 per person annually; lunch is around $5. If you’re a member, it’s $3,” Valentin said.
A representative speaking on behalf of Shine soup kitchen told the council the nonprofit serves roughly 170 meals per day Monday through Thursday and an additional 30 meals to women and children in its residential program—about 200 meals on those nights—and appealed for donations of canned goods, packaging, cases of water and other supplies. The speaker said the building owner has told the group he will repurpose the current space, and Shine is actively looking for a new location. “They serve about 170 meals per day Monday through Thursday…and an additional 30 people…so that’s 200 meals a night,” the speaker said.
Resident Allen Ferguson thanked the city for work at Malden Cemetery and urged continued maintenance of historic burial sites. “I wanna thank everyone for the wonderful job they have done down at the Malden Cemetery,” Ferguson said.
During public comment, Jenny Mcdrunken applauded the council for sending Resolution 2025-12 — an acceptable‑use policy for elected officials’ technology — to legal review rather than adopting it. “I applaud you for putting it under legal review. I really, really hope a massive rewrite… I found much of it to be a violation of free speech rights,” Mcdrunken said.
City staff and the mayor provided procedural reminders about how to submit follow‑up questions to representatives and noted community announcements including ATAX funding applications and local museum events.
The council did not take action on the public comments but acknowledged the announcements and the requests. Staff contact information and donation details were offered by the speakers.
