A
s we age, one of the most important
things is finding a place where
we can do so comfortably. A few
Norwin residents realized this and
began their journey to establish the
Norwin Community Resource Center (NCRC)—a safe
place designed to help seniors make their way through the
complicated process of health care and aging.
The NCRC is located on the beautiful Shirley Estate in
North Huntingdon. The center is a culmination of the dream
of two women who spent their careers helping seniors in
different capacities.
It began in a small building in the Irwin area. “There
was a definite need in the area for a center dedicated to
providing guidance to seniors in many areas of life,” says
Sherri Kovalcin, managing director of the NCRC. “Founders
wanted to teach seniors to be their own advocates when
looking for hel p and services.”
After its first year, many seniors and their families would
visit and talk with volunteers about the desire for a location
that would be able to provide activities and programs as well
as information. The volunteers began searching for a bigger
space, in addition to locating the necessary revenue to bring
the vision to reality.
Finding start-up funding from three local companies—
Excela Health, Baldock Health Care Center and Generations
in Care—Rose Buric and Sherri Kovalcin were able to
rent the Shirley Estate and begin the dream. Both women
volunteered their time and efforts to the center for several
years. “We waited to see if seniors would come—and come
they did,” says Kovalcin.
In 2012, NCRC received its 501(c)(3) nonprofit status
and began developing sponsorship levels and seeking
sponsorships. Programs were built and a monthly calendar
was developed. Volunteers were recruited to run the day-to-
day operations of the center. It now supports itself through
sponsorships, fundraisers and rentals.
NCRC now has more than 32 business sponsors and
receives over 2,000 visits per month. It has programs from
Silver Seniors to American Sign Language to Drama Clubs,
and support groups for grief, diabetes and more. The center
also offers socialization opportunities and fun events for a
variety of hobbies. “It has become a vital part of the lives of
many seniors in our community,” says Kovalcin. “We hope to
be able to add many more programs over the next few years
and continue to grow to better serve those in need, enriching
the mind, body and spirit of our community.”
NCRC is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday-Friday.
Call 724.382.5133, email at [email protected], or find
the center online at ncrc1.org. ■
“There was a definite need in the area for a center dedicated
to providing guidance to seniors in many areas of life.”
NORWIN ❘ SUMMER 2018
11