San Juan’s Sellen Senior Center receives three-year Wi-Fi grant

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The Mary Velasco Sellen Senior Center, which opened last August, has taken a big step toward its goal of becoming a hub of activity and information for San Juan Bautista’s older residents. On Jan. 13, Etheric Networks installed a new Wi-Fi system, allowing the center to offer computer and internet instruction to complement other planned services.

According to Jennifer Fino, an account executive with Etheric, the company already provides its services to Windmill Market, City Hall and residential clients in San Juan. The Sellen Center’s contract allows for free Wi-Fi for the next 36 months.

Mary Edge, principal officer of the senior center and a former San Juan Bautista city council member, said this directly responds to a local need.

“We had a community gathering where seniors gave us feedback on what they wanted,” Edge “and there was a list of things, like lunches, bingo, yoga and field trips. But high on the list was computer training.”

Fino said Etheric, a family-owned company, initially offered service to rural areas that mainstream providers found difficult to reach. Etheric has grown to include Fortune 100 businesses, construction companies, local governments and HOA communities.

“We are problem solvers in our hearts,” Fino said, “and we really care about our customers. We are super-delighted and grateful to be helping out in the San Juan Bautista community.”

The center was founded at the suggestion of San Juan resident Sandy Knowl. Edge recalls that Knowl asked her, while she was on the city council, “Why did the city not have any services for seniors?”

“She felt we were a large enough community,” Edge said. “She thought we should not have to drive all the way to Gilroy or Hollister to go to the centers there, and said to me, ‘You can do it.’”

At first, the center did not have a physical location, using the San Juan Bautista Community Center and Casa Maria as staging places for events, such as a weekly lunch series, which have proved very popular.

Etheric tech Jose installing the wifi service. Photo by Shawna Freels.

“We had expected maybe 12 people the first time,” Edge said. “ But we had over 20 people the first week and over 30 the next. And it has increased to around 45 or 50 people every week now.”

Now that the center has opened an office, Edge said, it can start offering more services.

“Within the next month,” she said, “the computers will be here. And we have a lineup of people who want to come and work with the seniors. So as soon as we can, people will be able to schedule time to come here and learn.”

Edge said that services in the future might include a van that could be used to take seniors to doctors appointments and on field trips to movies or other activities.

“There is a need for more support for seniors,” she said. “Their families tend to forget them even though they’re close by or don’t want to bother with them. But we, and the volunteers we are gathering, are very committed to being there for them..

The center is named for Mary Velasco Sellen to honor her public service—among other things, she founded the local Ladies Auxiliary to the Veterans of Foreign Wars post, and worked at the San Benito County Welfare Office for 22 years—and also for her devotion to local seniors. She transported folks to doctors appointments until three days before her death in 2013.

The Mary Velasco Sellen Senior Center of San Juan Bautista is located at 301 The Alameda # 5 B. It is open every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunches are hosted at Casa Maria (600 First Street) every Wednesday at noon by donation.

(831) 262-3484 Senior Center phone number.

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