With the snip of the wide blue ribbon, the Pima Council on Aging celebrated the opening of its new Katie Dusenberry Healthy Aging Center yesterday with more than 300 supporters.

The center was named after Dusenberry, a major contributor to PCOA’s capital campaign, as well as a longtime advocate for healthy aging and a former TEP board member. “I hope you will all use the services offered at this center,” said Dusenberry.  “If you are not old enough now, you will be in the future.”

Centrally located at 600 S. Country Club Road, the newly-renovated 16,000-sq. ft. center offers programs and services to help seniors stay healthy, fit and engaged.

TEP was among the major contributors for the center, donating $150,000 to PCOA over three years. The TEP Community Resource Room will serve as the heart of the new 16,000 square-foot center, which offers classes and workshops related to wellness, nutrition, social activities, and financial and Medicare counseling sessions.

“When we started asking our community to support our vision for a Healthy Aging Center, TEP was one of the first and largest commitments we received,” PCOA President and CEO Mark Clark said. “We can’t say enough thanks to TEP for its leadership and early commitment to our campaign. Together, we are making our community the best place to age well.”

The center is opening at a critical time when the number of adults over the age of 60 has increased by more than 17 percent in recent years as more Baby Boomers retire in Southern Arizona. About 10,000 Americans turn 65 every day.