Having grown up in the Orcutt area from my early childhood days, I have always appreciated the goodness of the people who live and work in the Orcutt area. It has been a wonderful place to live and raise my own family. The community set a good example for me to follow and for all of us to follow in the care of both the young and the elderly.
Recently the senior center project has moved forward to final approval before the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors. I am proud of the work of OASIS (Orcutt Area Seniors In Service) who now serve and have served thousands of local seniors through the years.
Having grown up with the ingrained idea of public service, I became an educator in local schools during my working career. Later, after my working career, I devoted myself to improving Old Town Orcutt by being an active member of OTORA (Old Town Orcutt Revitalization Association). We can credit this group with the quaint vibrant old town, Western appearance of the community today. I am proud of my group’s work in accomplishing these revitalization goals.
During the same time frame, various OASIS executive directors have diligently worked to provide help and support to seniors in our area and have been examples of the goodness and the best of the people who live in the Orcutt area. Michelle Southwick, execuutive director, has endeavored to move the OASIS center from its Orcutt School District location, in aging modular buildings, to a new location. In 2015 Debbie and Steve LeBard, former OTORA members, donated Key Site 18 at the corner of Clark and Foxenwood Lane to the OASIS. They should be applauded for their generosity.
A director next approached me for approval of the project, since my family owned all the property to the south of Site 18 along Clark Avenue. After careful review of their plans, it was my pleasure to support the efforts because these plans included all the items outlined in the open space plans for the site. Included in these plans were the senior center as well as bike and walking trails for the public and park uses for the majority of the acreages. It will still meet the open space requirements for this parcel.
The center will be located on the south of the creek next to my commercial properties and thus will be far away from any residential property owners. Residential property owners are located on the opposite side of the creek far away from the proposed senior center. I should also point out that senior citizens and the elderly are not known for their wild and boisterous parties. All events will be inside the beautifully designed senior center building. We should all set a good example for the care of the elderly as we are all heading in the same direction in life.
OASIS sums it up best: “We can not only continue serving the aging population of our community, but Orcutt seniors will have a place and get the type of programs they need to remain healthy and active and participate in our local economy.” They also point out that during the past few years they are struggling to provide services to a growing population without expanding their facilities.
Please join me by quickly supporting seniors’ and the elderly’s new senior center at the entrance to Old Town Orcutt and join me in writing Santa Barbara County supervisors, 105 East Anapamu St., Room 407, Santa Barbara, CA 93101. Or call (805) 568-2190. Please step forward and strongly support the new senior center.
Ken McCalip is a North Santa Barbara County native who holds bachelor and doctorate degrees in history, cultural geography, and law from various California universities. Send a letter for publication to letters@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Dec 9-16, 2021.
