Humble Beginnings 

In the early 1960's, a small group of elderly friends in Petoskey decided that it would be fun to get together for some socialization on a regular basis. They met in the basement of a neighborhood church and over the years the group added more participants. By the late 1960's, the group had grown in size and needed a more permanent home. During this time, a group of women from St. Francis Church conceived of a drop-in center for senior adults. Their group, called “Services to Older Adults,” set up a visiting committee to minister to the needs of homebound and geriatric center patients. They were soon joined in their efforts by members of Church Women United.

In October, 1966 a “Steering Committee for a Drop-in Center” formally petitioned the City of Petoskey for the use of space in the first floor and basement of the old Petoskey City Hall building at 453 East Lake Street. In 1967 the steering committee became an incorporated non-profit organization named Friendship Center of Petoskey. Board members included Dr. W. Lee Waters, Martin Bethke and Mrs. William Martz, Shirley Greenwell, Dorothy Scott, John Ternes, Mrs. Gardner Carpenter and Rose Mary Ternes.

A New Home

The city finally agreed to the group’s proposal in February, 1968. Space was made available to them for a cost of one dollar a year with heat and utilities thrown in. This “grace and favor” arrangement was such a good deal, that it remained the group's home for the next thirty years!

An Open House was held in August of 1968 at the new home of the Friendship Center. Much work needed to be done to make the center more welcoming, and service clubs pitched in to help with cleaning and painting. In September, thirty people attended the first “Sunday Potluck” at the new center. The “open hours” were Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m., and Sunday from 1:00 – 9:00 p.m. There were 176 visitors to the center during its first month of operation. Volunteer hosts and hostesses from area churches helped with all activities.

In 1969 the Friendship Center board announced plans to search for a full time center director with funding from a grant from the Michigan Commission on Aging. Dorothy Pelton was hired to oversee all center activities in 1970. Efforts began in 1970 to incorporate groups of seniors who were already gathering in Pellston and Harbor Springs. Attempts were made to expand the socialization aspect of these groups through congregate meals and other activities. Some health care programs were offered at these locations as well.

The 70’s - Great Growth!

The 1970’s saw substantial changes in the Friendship Center. The Age of the Senior Citizen had arrived; passage of the Older Americans Act had taken place in July of 1965, making government funding available for programs to assist the elderly. The Meals on Wheels program began in 1972. Rose Mary Ternes became the center director in 1974. In October of 1974, the Friendship Center board became the new Council on Aging for Emmet County. The group’s intent was to study the problems that seniors in this part of the state face; such as health care, housing, transportation and recreational opportunities. By organizing, the group would be in a position to receive state and federal grants.

Social activities abounded for seniors. Dinners, dances, and trips were offered. A congregate meal program began at the Petoskey center in 1974. Meals were available for $.50 for individuals aged 60 and over. Title VI grant funding was awarded in 1975 for expansion of the Friendship Center in Petoskey and the opening of satellite centers in Pellston, Alanson and Harbor Springs. The Petoskey News-Review had a regular column listing Friendship Center activities in the outlying communities: Alanson seniors met at the Littlefield-Alanson Community Building, Pellston seniors met at the Masonic Temple Building, and Harbor Springs seniors met at the Presbyterian Church.

1976 saw many transitions: Bus transportation was offered through the Friendship Center for seniors through MDOT funding; the topic of a millage to support senior services was brought up in the monthly newsletter, Silver Threads; Northwest Michigan Area Agency on Aging announced grant awards to service providers in their 10-county area, and Emmet County was awarded $13,273 for services including transportation, health screening, minor home repair, home health, information and referral, and counseling—all services designed to “prevent the institutionalization of the elderly.”

A Broader Reach

In 1978, congregate sites in Alanson, Harbor Springs and Pellston were officially considered to be satellite centers and were staffed on meeting days with a coordinator provided by the Friendship Center. Incorporation papers filed in August, 1978, changed the organization’s name from Friendship Center of Petoskey to Friendship Centers of Petoskey and Emmet County.
During the mid-1980's, the Friendship Centers acquired some real estate. Thirty-five acres of farm land between Anderson and Cemetery Roads in Bear Creek Township were purchased on a land contract. Thanks to the generosity of Dr. Kathryn Weburg, who paid off the obligation, the land became the unencumbered possession of the Friendship Centers.

A New Home in Pellston

In 1986 a deal was struck with the Village of Pellston that provided for the Friendship Centers to pay for the construction and maintenance of a building on land that would be retained by the Village of Pellston. After two consecutive leases of 20 years which expire in 2026, the building, presently valued at more than $100,000, will belong to the Village of Pellston.

Funding Changes

In 1986, two financial events took place that shaped governmental funding for the organization. The Northwest Michigan Area Agency on Aging, the multi-county dispenser of state and federal tax revenue to agencies providing senior services, designated the Friendship Centers of Petoskey and Emmet County, as the Council on Aging, as the sole recipient of their funding in Emmet County. At this same time, the Emmet County Commissioners responded to a request to have a senior millage levied in Emmet County for the planning, funding and coordination of programs serving seniors. As written, the four-year, .5 mill levy funded Friendship Centers only. When the senior millage came up for renewal in 1990, some changes were made by the County Commissioners that remain in place today. An Advisory Commission on Aging was established to recommend to the County Commissioners how the money should be divided among the qualifying applicants. While the Friendship Centers remain the largest recipient, there are other senior service provider applicants who are also funded.
In December, 1988, there was another amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, which provided for the name to be changed to Friendship Centers of Emmet County (FCEC), the name by which the organization is now known.

The Roaring 90’s

While the ’70’s and ’80’s brought a steady growth in the clients served and the programs offered in the Petoskey Center and the three satellite centers, it was the ’90’s that brought the most dramatic changes to FCEC. In 1992 Bill Huber became executive director of FCEC and was followed by Barb Schwartzfisher in 1996.

The Petoskey Center was still housed in the Lake Street facility, which was a rather gloomy place with difficult accessibility for the seniors it served. The first floor contained the administrative offices and space for the health care programs. The basement housed the kitchen, where delicious, nutritious food for congregate meals and for the Meals on Wheels program was prepared Monday through Friday. Despite the tasty meals, the dining area in the basement lacked ambiance, as it was a poorly lit, institutional-appearing brick room.

During the early 1990's, some attempts were made to locate to a new facility, but most had no merit. The board had made no long range plans, and the organization was essentially coasting along on Lake Street. The only tangible asset FCEC had was their 35 acres of land. In 1997, a deal with a downstate developer was still on the table that would swap FCEC's 35 acres of land for space in a downtown Petoskey building. The County put FCEC on notice that the jail was going to expand into the old Lake Street building, and that the FCEC must vacate the “grace and favor” premises by spring of the following year. In July, the board voted to hire an architect with the idea that if the developer's plan fell through, FCEC might be able to build a facility on its land. Alternative space was sought that could be rented to house the administrative offices and function as the kitchen during the transition period, which was anticipated to be at least a year.

By February, 1998, it became evident that the deal with the developer was not going to work, and the decision was made by the board to sell 30 of the 35 acres and use the money to build. That month the FCEC staff split in several directions into rented space and would not come together again for almost two years. The administrative offices and the heads of most departments went to suite B at 107 Howard Street. The transportation department was housed in the LifeLink Ambulance building on Charlevoix Ave. The kitchen staff and the Petoskey congregate meal site found a home in the Petoskey United Methodist Church on East Mitchell Street, and the Home Maker/Home Chore and RSVP were tucked away in the little farm house on the Andersen Road property, which has since been removed.

In March, 1998, FCEC retained five acres and sold developer John Watson the remaining thirty acres for $475,000. The building came in at a projected cost of $1.5 million. A huge windfall in a bequest of $500,000 from the estate of  Mr. and Mrs. Edward Sobleskey brought the building fund to almost $1 million. Fund raising efforts garnered $250,000, and a loan for $240,000 was obtained in 1999. At the same time a community-wide capital campaign began. Sue Berkau (Engel) was named interim executive director in August, 1999, and in December of that year was named executive director, a position she still holds today.

A Shiny New Facility on Anderson Road

Construction of the building began on May 20, 1999, and it was up and running for business on December 15, 1999. The building has been a source of pleasure and convenience for all those who visit it. Its physical presence on heavily-traveled Anderson Road has contributed to an awareness of FCEC's services and programs as evidenced by the great increase in those who use them.

In 2001, MDOT funding was used to construct a bus garage behind the center on Anderson Rd. Usage of the transportation program has continued to expand, utilizing four handicap-accessible buses to offer transportation to seniors and disabled individuals throughout the county.

Post-Millenium

Having been incorporated in 1977, the Harbor Springs Friendship Center became independent of FCEC in 2002. They continue to contract for their congregate meals with FCEC, and maintain a friendly, cooperative relationship.

On Wednesday, March 4, 2009, the Friendship Centers proudly celebrated the grand opening of a beautiful new senior center in Brutus, Michigan. The center was purchased through a generous gift from Pat and Penny Huber of Alanson. The Huber Center continues to serve the seniors in the northern part of Emmet County and the number of faithful members increase monthly!

As the senior population in Emmet County continues to grow, FCEC hopes to launch a building expansion project at some point in its future. The addition would house a computer lab, large multi-purpose/fitness facility, and a conference space for support groups, meetings, and educational presentations.

A Debt of Gratitude

We are infinitely grateful to the many visionaries who kept pushing hard for improvement in services and programs for the senior citizens of Emmet County.  Countless individuals poured their hearts and souls into bringing us successfully to this point. It would be wrong to try to list individual names, because surely some would be overlooked. But FCEC owes a debt of gratitude to those individuals—some still living, some now passed on—for their courage and persistence, and for their concern and compassion for the older adults of Emmet County. FCEC is what it is today because of you, and we thank you!