New director says Baxter senior center is a lifeline for older residents

Darcy Wakoak, the new executive director of the center in Brainer, told the Baxter City Council that the center is “more than just a building” and is a “vibrant, welcoming place” where adults 45 and older connect, learn and support one another.

Wakoak presented the center’s 2025 impact statement and described daily activities and services funded or supported in part by the city, including line dancing, craft groups, bone-builder classes, caregiver support, a memory cafe, meal distribution and outreach projects. She said the center also provides check-in calls for people who live alone and serves as a space for nonprofit meetings and volunteer-driven programs.

The presentation emphasized the center’s role in addressing loneliness and isolation among older adults. Wakoak said members commonly describe the center as a “lifeline to true friendship and belonging,” and singled out programs such as Thursday donut day, a volunteer-run gift shop and intergenerational activities with local schools as ways the center builds community.

A council member who serves as the council liaison to the senior center praised the transition to new leadership after the previous long-term director retired, saying Wakoak’s “personality is so calming and reassuring to the members.” The council liaison urged continued support and encouraged members of the public to tour the center.

The presentation concluded with an invitation for councilmembers and residents to visit the center and see programming firsthand.