Feb. 17, 2017 – West Bend, WI – Word is spreading across the community that the popular Senior Conference at the Washington County Fair Park has been canceled.
The conference is an annual event that started 20 years ago. It featured vendors and guest speakers and was a one-stop-shop of information for senior citizens in the community.
Tammy Anderson with the Washington County Aging and Disability Resource Center said the cut is due to the county’s new priority-based budgeting, which basically means any program that’s not mandated by the state or federal government would be at risk of getting cut.
“This cost the Aging and Disability Resource Center about $23,000 a year,” said Anderson, who was made aware of the cut about six months ago when she first started. “This is an expensive program to run and no it did not end because Linda Olson retired.”
Thousands of senior citizens have enjoyed the conference over the years, they even adapted when it moved from Cedar Community to the Washington County Fair Park.
So far only a couple of regular vendors have called the county asking about the event. Local senior citizens are upset. Many say, “government always taking away something from the senior; what a shame.”
Hartford runs a senior fair in the spring and fall. An effort to “wrangle” other groups to take over the conference has not come to fruition.
I think it’s a sad commentary showing a lack of respect for our seniors. That a number of businesses could not donate to keep this running is shameful! How much money are the directors of the Aging and Disability Resource center being paid.Perhaps our counties leadership could donate some of their money to keep this running ! The lack of respect for our seniors and veterans is appalling!