Excerpt from Senior Citizens Center
Mauri Rapp

Senior Citizens Center
By: Mauri Rapp

1 Fellow members of the community, I am here today requesting your support for the construction of a senior citizens center. This presentation will demonstrate all the ways that the senior center will benefit the entire community. Although many residents might worry that such a project would inevitably increase property taxes, I’m here to assure you that we can acquire the necessary funding without resorting to a drastic tax hike.

2 Our community has a large population of citizens over the age of sixty-five. As citizens grow older, they have fewer opportunities to socialize. While many senior citizens are involved in activities such as church groups and volunteer organizations, others remain isolated from the community. Furthermore, those who do participate in these groups still lack the daily socialization they once enjoyed during their school and work years—many still yearn for the chance to interact with their peers every day. A senior citizens center affords older community member the opportunity for daily social interaction, allowing them to maintain healthy and vibrant relationships outside the home.

3 As most of you already know, our town’s senior citizens make up the majority of our volunteer work force. Senior citizens are the people we see at bake sales, blood drives, and food drives, doing all they can to help our community. They are the people you see operating the bingo stands at the annual firefighter’s carnival, and raking the leaves and mowing the grass at the little league fields. Giving our seniors a place to gather and socialize will honor their lifelong commitment to this community, and it’s the least we can do to thank them for their years of service.

4 Thankfully, we can complete this project with minimal investment and without raising property taxes. Several state and federal grants are available for this type of project. Additionally, our town has about $50,000 left over in the annual recreation budget. By using this surplus and applying for grants, this we can complete this project without raising taxes. With a little work, we can easily make this dream into a reality.

5 The senior citizens center will give our parents and grandparents a home away from home. It will also bring new jobs to our community. The senior center will need registered nurses, program coordinators, and janitorial workers. This could provide unemployed citizens with new opportunities for work. So, in conclusion, I’m asking all of you to think about the positive ways that this project will benefit our community and show your support for this initiative in November.



Which statement BEST summarizes Rapp's speech?
A) Building a senior center will be beneficial and cost effective for all the members of the community.
B) Building the senior center will help provide something to do for otherwise inactive seniors.
C) Building the senior center will be a sacrifice for the community, but a necessary one.
D) Building the community center is an idea whose time has finally come.