Signal American was important part of senior center payoff

Dear Editor,

 I’d like to set the record straight. Everyone knows by now the senior center mortgage has been paid off, the balance now zero. This all happened for many reasons, people and circumstances.

 What I want to set straight is why and how this happened. This newspaper and the editor Phil Janquart were a major factor. Without the Weiser Signal American and Phil helping me and others to get the information out to the community, I’m not sure where we would stand today.

 Without Phil’s writing, the stories he wrote and the information he shared with all of you out there in the community, I feel it would not have happened. That’s why I would like to express our gratitude for our local newspaper.

 The challenge to pay off the mortgage came about because in Oct. 2023 the center had a dinner to raise money for the mortgage. I asked Linda Smith what the payoff would be and she said about $200,000. I couldn’t believe the senior center still owed that much after seven years. I asked if they had a plan to pay it off, and the answer was no.

 A lot of things ended up falling into place, like Norma Brown’s plan for the Evelyn Stover Challenge, the work by senior center board chairwoman Karen Hoffer and Treasurer Linda Smith and, of course, all the generous people who donated the money to save the center. It took a team effort and we got it done. The entire community should be proud.

Steve Cooper

Weiser, Idaho