By PHOEBE DONALD ROBINSON / Community Columnist

The grand opening for the Columbiana Senior Center will be Friday, Oct. 2 at the beautiful new 4,300-square-foot building at 101 Mildred Street across from the Columbiana City Hall from 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

April Stone, executive director of South Shelby Chamber of Commerce, is planning the ribbon cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. with Mayor Stancil Handley and Ali Conn Payne, senior center director.

The public is invited to the ceremony and following reception.

The Columbiana Senior Center will officially open on Monday, Oct. 5 from 8 a.m. and will be open every Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a hot lunch served every day.

One of the highly anticipated rooms at the center will be the craft and sewing room, complete with cabinets and sewing machines.

Months ago, Handley asked Sarah Atchison to lead classes in the craft/sewing room.

Atchison grew up in Chelsea, the middle child of three daughters born 28 months apart of Nellie Maxwell and Cecil Leon Hodgens.

Her mother made all their clothes till the girls were old enough to make their own.

“I have sewed all my life,” said Atchison. “Mother would make our clothes and we would do the handwork. I grew up pretty responsible and pitched in our home with chores. I guess I am self-taught in crochet, quilting, knitting and all kinds of handwork. I grew up in a family where our family did for others. My parents had a huge garden and we would share with the community. I want to volunteer at the new center to help our seniors accomplish something, to make them feel worthy. I am open to ideas for I want us to do what the people want.”

Atchison has used her talents to make quilts for veterans, critically ill children and homeless people.

Now she will donate her time every Wednesday at the senior center to help lead classes in quilting, sewing and crafts.

Her first project at the center will be a “quilt as you go.”

Atchison has requested items to be donated for the craft/sewing room: Iron, cotton fabric, scissors, rulers, rotary cutters, batting, broken tape measures, thread, buttons, Omnigrid rulers, working sewing machines, pins, knitting yard, knitting needles, crochet thread, cricket hooks, craft supplies, board games, dominoes and playing cards.

Volunteers and teachers are needed. To help or donate, please call Sarah Atchison at 369-0015.