VIENNA — The Chamber of Commerce hosted a ribbon cutting Thursday at the Vienna Senior Center to celebrate it joining the chamber and to bring awareness of its Fill the Tables, Fill the Freezer campaign.

The senior center provides melas to the community’s senior citizens, including homebound residents 60 and older.  The Fill the Tables, Fill the Freezer campaign aims to help the senior center further accomplish its goal by getting a new walk-in freezer and refrigerator.

“It’s a place where people can come to eat and gather with fellowship,” said Linda Wyss, the senior center’s board president. “(People) that may not have a neighbor or may not have any family, or it may be their only meal they eat.  It’s just a really important part of our community.”

If the senior center increases its customers, then Aging Best will provide the new freezer and cooler.  Aging Best provides services to the elderly and their caregivers.  Wyss welcomes people of all ages to have lunch, served 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Seniors, 61 and older, do not have to pay but have a suggested donation of $5.  Visitors younger than 61 pay $7, and children, 12 and under, cost $3.

The Maries County Bank staff also at the ribbon cutting donated supplies like food containers, serving utensils and a drink dispenser.  They paid for it using their jeans fund.  The bank dress code requires staff to wear business casual, but on Fridays, employees can pay $2 to wear blue jeans instead.

The Chamber of Commerce is a group of small businesses to support the community and Vienna’s economic development.  Members pay dues to get access to ribbon cuttings and other exclusive benefits.

Hannah Shanks, vice president of the chamber’s board and loan officer at the bank, enjoyed seeing all the people that attended the ribbon cutting.

“We’re just excited kind of across the board, from the chamber to the bank.  It’s just important to us to be able to support the community and be able to support the businesses that are in our town,” she said.