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SCHENECTADY
Center fee paid for Schaffer seniors
BY MICHAEL LAMENDOLA Gazette Reporter

    Residents of Schaffer Heights, a senior citizen apartment complex in the city of Schenectady, may soon be spending more of their leisure time in Glenville.
    The apartment’s management company, United Group of Companies, announced it will cover the membership cost of Schaffer Heights residents who join the Glenville Senior Citizen Center.
    The Glenville center, which has 1,300 members, offers cultural, recreational, leisure and health-related activities Monday through Friday during the day.
    United will contribute $1,250 to the center in February to cover resident membership fees. The center charges a $25 annual membership to non-residents of Glenville. United also plans to run transportation each day to the Glenville Center.
    Michael DiGiacomo, Schaffer Heights property manager, said United Group hooked up with the Glenville center as a way to get community residents involved in more activities. “We do push our residents to get involved in any activity they can, and we tumbled onto a nice relationship there [with Glenville]; it is only three miles away,” he said. “The goal of our community is to enhance the quality of everyone’s life here.”
    DiGiacomo said when he became property manager at Schaffer Heights several months ago, he noticed a need to provide more activities to residents, both at Schaffer Heights and in the community. “One of the biggest things I found when I got here was lack of resident activities. With the support of United Group we are able to push that right now,” he said.
    In addition to supporting memberships at Glenville Senior Center, United Group also increased activities at the apartment, such as bringing in entertainment, DiGiacomo said.
    Cindy Amell, coordinator of the Glenville Senior Center, said the center is “more than happy to have Schaffer Heights residents become members of our center. We have always opened our doors to anyone. You can live anywhere and come here,” she said.
    Some of the center’s 1,300 members are former participants of the Annie Schaffer Senior Center in Schenectady. Annie Schaffer, which had been in existence for nearly 50 years, closed in 2004 because of severe financial problems. Its closure left senior citizens in the city with few options other than to travel to centers in Rotterdam, Glenville, Niskayuna or to go outside of the county. “There was a huge void when Annie Schaffer closed,” Amell said.
    The Glenville Senior Citizen Center has a daily lunch program, offered by Catholic Charities. The center is one of several senior meal centers in Schenectady County supported by county funds. It also offers exercise classes provided by the YMCA, trips, card playing, games and bingo. It also has golf, bowling and boccie leagues. .........................>>>>........................>>>>.......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r01001&AppName=1

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The apartment’s management company, United Group of Companies, announced it will cover the membership cost of Schaffer Heights residents who join the Glenville Senior Citizen Center.

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Michael DiGiacomo, Schaffer Heights property manager, said United Group hooked up with the Glenville center as a way to get community residents involved in more activities. “We do push our residents to get involved in any activity they can, and we tumbled onto a nice relationship there [with Glenville]; it is only three miles away,” he said. “The goal of our community is to enhance the quality of everyone’s life here.”