Under a crystal blue sky and bright sunshine on a Saturday afternoon in McLean County, a crowd gathered in downtown Calhoun and cheered as Judge/Executive Curtis Dame cut the ribbon on the brand-new McLean County Community and Senior Citizens Center.
The scene on April 13, 2024, was very different from the night of Dec. 9, 2020, when a fire broke out at the senior center. The 6,000-square foot building was completely destroyed.
Constructing a new building can be a stressful process for any county official, and that’s even more true when working to replace a beloved community building.
Fortunately, the McLean County senior center was covered by the KACo All Lines Fund. Judge Dame credits KACo with being a helpful partner as his community took steps to rebuild.
“KACo insurance services and staff exemplify the power of resilience, communication, and hands-on customer service. In the aftermath of the 2020 fire at McLean County Senior Center, its importance shone brightly as it ensured the full replacement of the center,” Dame said.
Although the rebuild took three years to complete, the new building has significant improvements to the original structure that was built in 1993. It is ADA compliant, energy efficient and features a commercial grade kitchen.
Dame described working with KACo as “a strong foundation” for the project’s overall success, which will be enjoyed by the community for years to come.
“Proactive measures, timely response and unwavering support can rebuild what adversity threatens to take away,” he said.
