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LANETT — During the noon hour on Friday, participants in the Lanett Senior Center program took a short trip from the center to city hall to personally thank city officials for getting two vans for use by the center. The vans will be used to deliver meals to the homebound five days per week and to take the active seniors on short trips. They have an upcoming trip that will be taking place in Talladega on May Day. Seniors from all over the state gather at the famed Talladega Super Speedway for a day of fun and renewing friendships with friends they have made in other parts of Alabama.

The seniors held up signs saying “Thank you!” and took turns shaking hands with Mayor Jamie Heard and Code Enforcement Officer Johnny Wood, who played key roles in getting the new vans. They came on an 80/20 grant with the federal government covering 80 percent of the cost and the city paying 20 percent. The city’s cost for both of them was around $33,000.

“On behalf of the seniors I want to thank you for doing this for our center,” Senior Center Manager Sandra Thornton told them. “We want to thank you for working to get this done over the past 17 months.”

City officials worked with the East Alabama Area on the Aging to get it done.

Mayor Heard thanked Thornton for doing great work at the center and for her role in helping them lead active lifestyles.

Wood said that something even better could be on the way. “The 5310 program will be open again this year, and we will be applying for a 15-passenger bus,” he said.

The two vans that have arrived can each carry up to eight passengers. Each one has a wheelchair lift that takes up space. The bus that will be sought is the same size vehicle but does not have a lift. This allows seven more passengers to ride.

The vans are roomy and each is equipped with a camera system.