Page 3 - Dresden Buzz 02/20/2026

FEBRUARY 20 - MARCH 5, 2026 LOCAL NEWS | PAGE 3
Muskingum County Center for Historian creates video series

Seniors launches rebrand to dedicated to sharing

represent the vibrancy of Zanesville’s past

today’s aging adults BY LYNETTE DOTSON | DRESDEN BUZZ

BY LYNETTE DOTSON | DRESDEN BUZZ

The Center comes to life with brand overhaul. Lynette Dotson

The Muskingum County Center for Se- but now they all sit together,” said Paul.
niors has a new look and a nickname. “We call them the rowdy crowd. They’re
The Center is embracing a vibrant, fun funny. They have a lot of fun. And then
brand that better portrays an image that they’ll plan things after here. And that’s
resonates with a young-at-heart Friends the purpose. That’s the point of The Cen-
of the Center, serving those 60 and bet- ter: bringing people together, connecting
ter. them, and then having the best life they Gary Allen shows a clip from one of his Muskingum County history themed videos. Lynette Dotson
“We chose to rebrand after doing a can.”
focus group, some community surveys, The Center is open throughout the Gary Allen has been interested in re- tripping my own trigger for 15 years. I’m
and talking to our staff. I worked with day, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 searching and learning about Zanes- going to help people out who want to
just a lot of different people trying to see a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Later evening hours ville’s history for decades. He is the learn stuff, and I’ve got a lot of resourc-
what the right fit was, and what we felt are also offered on Monday, Tuesday, history director for the Zane’s Trace es,” Allen said.
demonstrated and the first Commemoration and has been working Besides dedicating time to produce
and or portrayed through fourth on a video series that teaches viewers videos and post historic photos on social
what we do here. Fridays of the about Zanesville and Muskingum Coun- media, Allen serves on the Zane’s Trace
When we have month. Please ty history. Commemoration board.
a lot of people check the cal- Videos are published mainly on Face- This year, one of the focuses for the
come in and endar for de- book through the page Zanesville Video history that will be shared at the com-
say, I’m not old tails. The Cen- History Group, and a few legacy videos memoration will be on bridges within
enough or I don’t ter does close can be found on the Old Y City Chronicle the county, including the Y-Bridge, Fifth
feel old when for major holi- YouTube Channel. Some topics covered Street bridge, Monroe Street bridge, the
we talk about days. are the building of Dillon Dam, histori- original Dresden Suspension Bridge, and
seniors. And “Our mission ans, Ohio Canal, Zanesville plot map, the covered bridges.
they don’t relate is to decrease early years, and the history of the Philo “Muskingum County wouldn’t be a
to that. So they isolation, in- Power Plant. county without its bridges,” said Allen.
don’t want to be crease social- “One of them I did on the historians “Nobody’s ever covered them. In any of
reminded that ization. So of Zanesville. If it wasn’t for those guys, the commemorations that I can remem-
they’re old. So, whether it’s we wouldn’t have our stories to even talk ber.”
young at heart, a meal deliv- about. And a couple of them are very, The commemoration will return Fa-
we have people ery, talking to very interesting. I love their stories and ther’s Day weekend, June 19 through
from 60 to 100 someone every how they wrote their history of our com- 21, 2026 in the Putnam Historic area.
here,” said Kate Paul, executive director day, five days a week, or if it’s coming munity. And that’s what I share,” Allen The Outhouse Race, Anything that Floats
for The Center. “So we, you know, there’s in here five days a week, or participating explained. but a Boat Race, Grand Parade, live mu-
a whole wide range of people that don’t in the group, it’s very flexible. And so we Allen plans to release one or two new sic, and vendors will all be back this
feel old. You know, and age is just a have people coming in and wanting to videos every two or three weeks. year.
number.” do extra stuff.” “I’m really getting into people asking For more information about the Zane’s
The mission at The Center is the same; The Center does not allow anyone un- me questions. I’m here for the public, Trace Commemoration visit https://
there have not been any other changes der 60 to come alone, but a 60 or bet- things that trip your trigger. I’ve been zanestracecommemoration.com.
to programming or the day-to-day ser- ter individual can bring a guest who is
vices offered by The Center. The process under the minimum age requirement.
to make a change took 18 months. This perk has been in place for the past
“We did not legally change our name. few years and helps new Friends of the
Our mission is still the same. It’s like a Center feel comfortable. Keep in mind
nickname. Like, for example, my name that 60 and better Friends are prioritized
is Katherine, but I go by Kate. I legally when seating is limited during events.
didn’t change my name, but everybody And there are certain events that are tai-
refers to me as Kate. Same thing, kind lored specifically for the 60 and better
of same concept. The Center is still the crowd.
Center for Seniors, but we all refer to it “So getting people through the front
as The Center, explained Paul. door is hard for unknowns, unfamiliar
“I honestly have had two people with- territory. But if you have somebody come
in the last two days tell me, I came be- with you, it’s easier to come through
cause you changed the name. I’ve had those doors. It’s easier to sit down at a
some people say, I like to be called se- table with somebody you know because
nior. And that’s perfectly fine. But we you have a support person with you. It’s
want to encourage all seniors to come easy to come to bingo because you have
in,” Paul stated. “I’ve had people say, that person with you. So that’s why I en-
‘Oh, it’s so bright and so vibrant.’ That’s courage under 60s, but they have to be
what we have here.” a guest of our Friend,” Paul explained.
There is always something happening The Center is located at 160 N. 4th
at The Center. Bingo, square dancing, Street, Zanesville. They can be reached
karaoke, DJ dance parties, and karate by phone, (740) 454-9761. More infor-
lessons are some of the lively upcoming mation can be found on their website,
events planned. A full event calendar www.mccfs.org, or on Facebook.
can be viewed on their website.
“When we have special events, we
always have a great vibe, great energy
here. And we just wanted it to match HAVE A POSITIVE NEWS TIP?
what we have inside on the outside,” CALL OR TEXT 740-270-2408.
continued Paul. “We’re embracing aging
the way that the Friends of the Center
want us to.”
Along with a logo change utilizing a
colorful spectrum of colors, The Center
incorporated a new tagline that perfectly
describes them: Gather, Connect, Thrive.
The Gather, Connect, and Thrive came
together through the focus group as
well. Gathering, obviously gathering as New Puzzles
a community, connecting with people
that maybe we may not have connected
with prior to being here, or reconnected EVERY ISSUE!
with people. We have a group of people
that came in, not necessarily together,

4-H Week

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Addison Derry “I definitely would love to still be in-
This is Addison Derry’s 12th year with volved in the program [after graduating]
4-H. She is a senior at John Glenn. and be able to help the younger youth,”
“It’s not just livestock and agriculture, Derry added. “Both my parents and I
but it is for people who want it to be that. believe my grandparents were in 4-H,
But there’s so many other opportunities. and my mom’s currently one of our ad-
There’s projects ranging from art to sci- visors.”
ence. So I think everyone really can find “All of us have had different experienc-
a home within 4-H,” said Derry. es, but we’ve grown so much through it,”
“4-H has greatly impacted my life. said Derry. “And so being able to have
Something I’ve really found as a passion this opportunity has truly shaped who
of mine through 4-H is communications. we are. And so I think it can help a lot of
I’ve done the demonstrations and illus- other people too.”
trated talks contest every year I’ve been Contact the OSU extension office at
in 4-H, and it’s really just allowed me to 740-454-0144. You can also visit them
experience things I never would have online at u.osu.edu/muskingumcount-
and gotten me out of my shell a little bit. y4h. The deadline for enrollment is April
So I think it really allows you to find your 1.
passions, and it’s helped me that way.”