The mission of the Scenic Hills Senior Center is to provide high quality programs and services, which enable Hocking County’s older adults to lead productive, healthy, fulfilling and independent lives. Since it’s founding in 1974 the Scenic Hills Senior Center and its governing board- the Hocking County Council on Aging- have made a commitment to enable seniors to reside in their own homes, through assistance from the center’s programs including: Medical Escort, Medical Transportation, Homemaker and Living Assistance Programs. Scenic Hills Senior Center is located within walking distance of historic downtown Logan; a rural community. Operating within the Scenic Hills Senior Center budget is an additional senior center in Laurelville. This allows greater participation in all areas of our county. Scenic Hills Senior Center is a multi-purpose senior center, which provides social services in addition to social and recreational services.

On January 31, 1974, a group of interested citizens met with the Hocking County Commissioners and a representative from the Buckeye-Hills Hocking Valley Regional Development District to discuss the formation of the Hocking County Council on Aging. At this meeting the following individuals were selected to serve on the Council:

John Bumgardner ...................................County Commissioner
Harley Ellinger .......................................Job and Family Services Department
Conrad Diehm ........................................Methodist Minister
Robert West ..........................................Mayor of Laurelville
Don Swyers ...........................................Mayor of Murray City
Ruth Hinerman .......................................Executive Director of Scenic Hills Senior Center
Louise Smith .........................................Logan City Council
Catherine Harrop.....................................TCCAA Nutrition Program
James McLain .......................................County Commissioner
Margaret Fettel ......................................Rockbridge Representative
Opal Wylie ............................................Gibisonville Representative
Edith Warthman .....................................Union Furnace Representative
Grace Thomas Murray ............................City Representative
Adrienne Shelton Murray .........................City Representative
Naomi Stiff Murray.. ................................City Representative
Carl Penrod ............................................Logan- Teacher
Lorene Penrod ........................................Logan- Homemaker

The first official meeting of the Hocking County Council on Aging was held on February 7, 1974. At this meeting, officers were elected and initial discussions took place concerning the types of services and activities to be offered. In 1974, transportation, medical escort, health assessment, education and information/referral services began.
The homemaker program was added in 1978.

The first Senior Center facility was located in a vacant gas station west of Logan on Chieftain Drive. The ground-breaking ceremony for our current location at 187 South Spring Street was held on June 14, 1977.

Currently, the Scenic Hills Senior Center has a membership base of five-hundred seniors. We advertise programs and services through local cable, Logan Daily News, WLGN radio and a monthly newsletter. Seniors are transported to the center daily, for activities, by one of the five senior center vans. Additionally, our driver makes trips locally for errands: hair appointments, physician appointments, therapy, banking, groceries.

The Scenic Hills Senior Center is the focal point of the county for seniors aged 55+. There are 15 paid staff at Scenic Hills, while Laurelville operates with volunteer staff. All programs operate through Scenic Hills Senior Center, as well as all accounting. Volunteers help with monthly fundraisers and catered dinners to supplement income for the center.