The Friends of the Rochester Council on Aging have a plan for a 1,500 square-foot building to host a senior supportive day program, providing activities, food and transportation for local residents.

Before they can move forward with the project, the Friends are focusing on fundraising efforts to acquire the remaining $167,000 needed for the new building which they plan to have built as an attachment next to the Council on Aging, located on Dexter Road.

Council on Aging director, Sharon Lally, says the program would be a social opportunity for seniors in the area.

“We hope to have room enough to serve 15 people per day,” Lally said. “We would provide the transportation, a hot meal, snacks, games, arts and crafts, physical activities and supervision for seniors who may be isolated or alone. It would also be a rest for their caregivers who worry a lot about their loved ones.”

Member of the Friends, John Cobb, says so far they have saved $78,000 of the $245,000 estimate for the project through fundraising efforts and private donations.

Last year the group received $50,000 from a Rochester couple, as well as a commitment from the Mayflower Bank located in Plumb Corner Mall.

Over the past year the Friends have been working on raising the remaining funds for the project. Cobb says they have several events planned to help move forward.

Through their “Pave the way” fundraiser the Friends are currently selling bricks that people in the community can have engraved with names or dates. Cobb said these bricks would later be used to create the walkway to the new building.

Cobb also said that half of the proceeds from the Council on Aging’s breakfast program will go towards the project.

“Everything depends on how much money we can raise,” Cobb said. “Right now we have a ballpark figure of $245,000 and we’re looking into grants, trusts and foundations throughout this process.”

Other fundraising efforts include a Texas hold ‘em poker game and a flea market to be held in the coming months.

Guests would have to pay a fee to cover the costs of running the program Lally said.

“We would charge $35 per day,” she said.  “With home care, they would get one hour per day as opposed to the six or seven hours per day they would get here for much less money.”

Cobb and Lally said they hope to have enough funding for the project to begin the building process within the next year.

For now, the Friends have a tentative building plan for the addition, but will wait for the remaining funds to be guaranteed before filing their plans with the Planning Board.