JOHN DAY — As the pandemic ebbs and state mask mandates fade in the rearview mirror, Grant County’s senior centers in John Day and Prairie City were able to reunite for in-person gatherings last week after more than two years.

The John Day Senior Center opened its doors on Monday, April 4, for lunch at noon, while Prairie City followed suit at the same time on Wednesday, April 6.

While the senior centers had grab-and-go meals and made deliveries during the past two years, seniors in Prairie City and John Day were finally able to — if they chose to — sit down for lunch.

Rose Coombs, Prairie City Senior Center’s treasurer, secretary and correspondent, said it was nice to sit down with others without a mask and without having to stay 6 feet apart.

One change, according to Coombs, is that now instead of eating family-style at the table, the seniors are served cafeteria-style.

Which, she added, is not a bad tradeoff.

“That’s OK,” Coombs said. “We’ll put up with that.”

Chris Labhart, president of the John Day Senior Center board, said it was nice to get together with people he had not seen in nearly two years in a place where everyone felt comfortable.

Labhart said the John Day Senior Center typically serves up to 30 congregate meals on Mondays and around 40 on Thursdays.

The senior center, Labhart said, prepares roughly 40 to 60 meals for delivery and grab-n-go on Mondays and Thursdays.

Labhart said the seniors enjoy getting together for more than just in-person meals. The center hosts bingo, bridge and other social activities.

And he noted that other in-person activities that have been curtailed for two years by COVID-19 precautions are also starting to come back. One example: funerals.

“We’re able to have (funerals) again for people,” Labhart said. “So it’s kind of nice to be able to celebrate people’s lives.”

Labhart said the community lost quite a few seniors over the last two years to the pandemic. Some, he said, did not attend all of the senior center activities, but others did.

“Now they feel comfortable enough at the senior center to say, ‘Hey, I know you can’t celebrate my wife or husband’s life, but when we open back up again, I’d sure like to hold a service at the senior center,’” Labhart said.

He said later on this year the senior center will begin holding those services.

While the state has eased indoor mask requirements, Grant County Health Administrator Kimberly Lindsay said senior citizens and those with compromised immune systems should still be mindful of their risks.

As the county moves into a different phase of COVID-19, Lindsay said, it is important to consider that the virus can have more severe impacts on vulnerable populations. Thus, she added, people in those categories need to take precautions others may not have to take.

“Those that are in high-risk categories may choose to wear a mask or may choose to not go to certain places out of necessity,” she said. “And society needs to be OK with that.”