Bergland senior center raising the roof

Lake Gogebic Senior Citizens Club Inc. and Ontonagon County Commission on Aging awarded $200K grant for renovations

Copper Shores Community Health Foundation is granting the Lake Gogebic Senior Citizens Club, Inc. $200,000 to update the Lake Gogebic Senior Center in Bergland. This funding will help cover the cost of renovations to the Senior Center, making it more user-friendly and accessible for Ontonagon County seniors.

“It's exciting to be awarded the opportunity to enhance our Senior Center in hopes of welcoming more community usage,” said Joan Harris, Director of the Lake Gogebic Senior Citizens Club. Inc. “We’re hoping that the Senior Center becomes a focal point not just for Bergland, but the entire county that we serve.”

Recently celebrating their 50-year anniversary, the Lake Gogebic Senior Citizen Club Inc. and Ontonagon County Commission on Aging have played host to a variety of community activities. The office is the central hub for Ontonagon County, connecting seniors to vital aging programs and in-home services like homemaker aid, personal care and respite care.

Seniors come to the center to use free Wi-Fi and get help with personal needs like faxing, copying and printing. Folks also use the space to gather for morning coffee, group painting, Christmas dinners and more. Prior to the Commission on Aging 2022 millage renewal, millage funds could not be utilized for maintenance on the center, making it difficult to adapt the space for larger groups.

The small gathering room and outdated office space are only the surface of the repairs needed. The building has a long history, previously operating as the town hall, and then a jail before its present-day use, bringing a number of issues to light when the demolition began. The building's initial roof plans had to be redrafted, which changed the building design, insulation had to be put in place throughout the entire building and drain tiles were installed around the outside of the basement to mitigate frequent spring flooding.

“The contractor couldn't believe the roof didn't collapse on us,” said Harris. “When they inspected the old roof, the rafters and trusses that were there were sagging about six inches.”

Renovations are expected to be completed by March of 2026, including the new roof, an updated kitchen, two new bathrooms, additional windows for more natural light, and an enhanced, accessible ramp entry. These upgrades are also made possible in part by the $300,000 Community Center Grant from the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity and the Ontonagon County Commission on Aging’s renewed millage for maintenance and program expansion. With upgrades from the inside out, the Lake Gogebic Senior Citizens Club Inc. and Ontonagon County Commission on Aging are excited to usher in a new era of community and connection for Ontonagon County seniors.

Learn more about the grant opportunities available at Copper Shores by visiting the grants page. To receive a notification for upcoming grant opportunities and application deadlines, sign up for the free monthly Copper Shores email newsletter. Follow Copper Shores on social media to see more grant projects, events and heartwarming stories on how the foundation improves the health of our four-county community.