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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

The Chilton County Rescue Squad made a massive rescue of the Senior Connection organization by offering to share its building with the organization after the two reached an agreement earlier this December.

President of the Chilton County Rescue Squad Chris Johnson quickly sprang into action after learning about the news that Senior Connection was having to move from its current building at Park Plaza. The over 200 senior citizens in Chilton County that utilize Senior Connection needed a new home, and Johnson was quick to step in and offer the rescue squad’s building off of Airport Road to them as their new home. It was never reported that the Senior Connection program was shutting down, just simply looking for another building to host them.

“As our board got talking we thought ‘We could move our stuff around a little bit and let them have part of our bay area and share the meeting and bathroom area with them,’” Johnson said. “Our board made that recommendation to the membership, and they voted 100% to share the facility with them. They are beginning to situate their stuff to be our guests, and we are in the process of making changes code wise.”

The two entities will share the facility’s common area, but both will have their own section of the building as well. The rescue squad’s board of directors first discussed the possibility of offering Senior Connection some space to store their equipment. However, they went a step further and offered up their building.

“The rescue squad is celebrating our 70th anniversary this year as being a community-service, nonprofit organization, so we are glad to host Senior Connection, another nonprofit that had a need,” Johnson said.

There are no fine details in the agreement between the Chilton County Rescue Squad and Senior Connection. It is just an open agreement that does not rent or lease the building to Senior Connection, just to share the building rent free with them. The only costs Senior Connection will pick up are the utilities and insurance of the building. Outside of that, it is a complete pro bono agreement between the two organizations.

Johnson recalled the support the community had for the rescue squad when it was first introduced to the county, and he felt compelled to make sure they are supporting the community too in as many ways as he can.

“We knew there was a need there, and that is why we are there is to help the community and that is our whole purpose,” Johnson said. “Those now seniors were the folks that were some of our members and supporters through the years, so here is an opportunity with another nonprofit that needs a home. In our earlier days we had times that we did not have a place to go. We will correct that problem for (Senior Connection), and it was the right time to do it.”

The Chilton County Rescue Squad building is located off of Airport Road by the old fairgrounds. Senior Connection is in the process of moving to the new building, and an official date of when they will be at the new facility full-time will be announced in the coming weeks.