About The Healy Senior Center ~ Our History
In 1972, a group of Southern Humboldt seniors began to meet for lunch
regularly at the grange in Miranda, California. They continued their luncheons for
several years, lunching for a few years at the old fire station in Garberville,
California and then eventually settled at the Presbyterian Church’s social hall in
Garberville.
In 1979, this group of local senior leaders formed a non-profit organization
called the Senior Center of Southern Humboldt, to benefit older adults living in
Southern Humboldt towns.
In 1989, the Senior Center of Southern Humboldt, with financial support from
the Humboldt Area Foundation, purchased the beautiful home of Patsy Thoresen
at 456 Briceland Road in Redway, California to serve as the community’s
permanent senior center.
The Board of Directors changed the organization’s name in 1996 to the Healy
Senior Center, in honor of Dan Healy, Sr., a local businessman who tragically
died in a plane crash. Mr. Healy’s son and daughter-in-law, Dan Jr. and Patti,
conceived of the annual Giant Yard Sale to benefit the Healy Senior Center. It was first held in their front yard, right across the street from the First Baptist Church of Redway. The Giant Yard Sale still occurs every year in
Redway and is a staple in the Southern Humboldt community.
In the year 2000, the Healy Senior Center took over the local, certified Meals
on Wheels Program from Jerold Phelps Community Hospital and has been
operating this critical program ever since.
The Healy Center is now serving our third generation of adults over 55. In 2019, we celebrated our 40th year of serving seniors in Southern Humboldt.
We would not have been able to help so many seniors without support from local
foundations, businesses, friends, and neighbors.
Thank you for supporting our important work in Southern Humboldt County!
Healy Senior Center Staff
Interim Executive Director:
Nick Vogel
Phone: (707) 923-2399, ext. 4
Email: healyseniorcenter@gmail.com
Program Coordinator:
Samantha Bernardo
Phone: (707) 923-2399, ext. 3
Head Cook: Babette Bach
Assistant Cook: Ross Hoon
Healy Senior Center Board of Directors
Board President: Jim Hoeffer
Board Vice-President: Suzan Gupton
Board Treasurer: Rich Thompson
Board Secretary: Cynthany Windwalker
Board Member: Wendi Leader
Board Member: Vacant
Board Seat: Vacant
Board Seat: Vacant
Board Seat: Vacant
Volunteers

Most importantly, we would not able to achieve our mission and serve the community without our wonderful volunteers! We have 15 to 20 regular volunteers at the Healy Center and we are so grateful for them. Please call or email us if you’d like to volunteer some of your time to help the Healy Center!
We currently are in need of volunteer drivers for our Meals on Wheels Program! If you live in Southern Humboldt and can volunteer three or more hours per week for meal deliveries to homebound SoHum residents, we need your help! Please call our Program Coordinator, Samantha Bernardo, at (707) 923‑2399, ext. 3.