By Janet Dovidio
news@thewoodstockindependent.com
The Rotary Club of Woodstock sponsors Interact Clubs at Woodstock and Woodstock North High Sch…
October 7, 2026
SOAR@Dorr (Serving Older Active Adults) was created in 2021 to establish a center for actively engaged people over 55 to pursue interests and share common activities and programs. SOAR@Dorr is located in the Dorr Township building at 1039 Lake Avenue in Woodstock. The center will celebrate this milestone at an invitation-only gathering at Offsides later this month.
The celebration’s timing is appropriate as September is National Senior Center Month. This year’s theme is “Happier Birthdays Happen Here.” The National Council on Aging and the National Institute of Senior Centers host this annual observance to highlight the vital role local senior centers play as essential city and town hubs. Joyful milestones like birthdays demonstrate connection, purpose and community.
“In 2021 I was approached by Roscoe Stelford and Terry Wilcockson with the City of Woodstock about expanding our services for seniors,” said Sue Brokaw, Dorr Township Supervisor. “We worked to form a center that was a top priority of mine and requested by residents for many years. We searched for a full-time director to ensure a successful program and hired Laura Wassinger as Program Director. Eventually Lynda Rohe was hired as Director of Services. I am very proud of SOAR@Dorr and appreciative of the hard work it took to get where we are today.”
Before SOAR@Dorr was created, the township offered Bingo and Pinochle for the 100-125 seniors who participated. After the first several SOAR programs grew, by 2024 there were 600 participants per month. Today that number exceeds 1,000 during many months. At the end of only her first year as director, Wassinger was named the 2022 Senior Director of the Year by the Illinois Township Association of Senior Citizen Service Coordinators (ITASCSC).
“The first thing I did was to create an Advisory Council designed to have the input of people using the center,” Wassinger said. “One of my first Advisory Council members was Jeff Leight who helped to create the SOAR@Dorr Reads Book Club. From the start our programs needed to be run by volunteer leaders.”
Participants would often approach Wassinger to request a new activity. Her reply was to ask them if they were willing to be the leader, if they knew at least three other people who would participate, and to know that everyone is welcomed no matter what their particular experience level is. Today there are more than 30 programs and activities offered to local seniors that are coordinated by volunteers.
Examples of the earliest class leaders are Roxie Kaminski, who began a Euchre group which began with four and is now 16 men and women. Dolly Gibson started a Mah Jongg group that grew from four players to more than 35. Dick Ahrens instructs Tai Chi classes twice a month, while Cindy Vanderstappen began a Balance, Strength and Stretch class.
Fitness and wellness programs are among the most important components each month. The Keep Fit and Strong class incorporates stretching, aerobics and cool-down exercises. Wassinger knew that people 55+ do not want to exercise with a younger group of people in the mix. SOAR’s fitness offerings focus on strengthening people to help them remain independent. These drop-in classes host 25-35 men and women each week. All classes emphasize that each person should focus on their own capabilities.
In the area of Social Services and Education, Rohe oversees the new services of a partnership with AARP Senior Planet to teach technology classes, which help participants feel more confident with cell phones, going online and using day-to-day apps. A rewarding program for all seniors is SHIP Counseling (Senior Health Insurance Program) which helps beneficiaries understand Medicare so they can choose the plan that works best for them and save money in the process. She finds this to be one of the most rewarding parts of her job.
“There are so many people who don’t know about SOAR@Dorr,” Rohe said. “In our five years there are new people every week that walk in the door and say ‘I had no idea you were here.’ The 55+ community continues to grow every day and so does SOAR@Dorr. I hope to see continued growth and expansion of programs, services and spaces.”
According to Wassinger, a great by-product of the classes and services is how frequently participants run into people they have known in the community and they now reconnect or they make new friends. This has resulted in many off-site SOAR social activities such as Lunch Date, Supper Club and SOAR Explorers Adventures. Participants get to any outside destinations independently (most are local) and pay for their own food. Dinners and social hours can include up to 25 or 30 people. The Explorers outings have ranged from horseback riding to ceramics lessons.
“For our social outings we are now especially determined to support the businesses along Route 47 for the next couple of years until the road project is completed,” said Wassinger. “Our local restaurants have been so welcoming to our large groups.”
Community service groups have also strongly supported SOAR@Dorr with meaningful presentations. They have ranged from our local police and fire department personnel talking about safety in the home and on the roads and sidewalks to the process for writing one’s memoirs to fine entertainment by local artists and so much more. In addition the local businesses, especially those located on the Woodstock Square, have provided prizes for events and donations of event tickets and funding for celebrations.
The cost for classes is very reasonable. SOAR@Dorr offers an 8-punch card for $25 or people can pay $5 per class. Much of the other programming is offered at no cost. All activities can be found on the monthly SOAR calendar and are described fully at the website dorrtownship.com.
“My goals for the next five years are simple: to see SOAR continue to grow and evolve,” said Wassinger. “Lynda and I, as well as our assistants Jen Hill and Cookie Breen, never run out of ideas. Each day a brave new person enters SOAR to find out more. Woodstock is an extraordinary city full of the most interesting, talented people, many of whom are 55+. Woodstock is better because of them.”
