Becky Grindstaff
By Deby Jo Ferguson
Staff writer
Becky Grindstaff, 46, daughter of Mike and Diane Hedden, is director of the Clay County Senior Center. She is married to Wesley Grindstaff and they have two children, a 19-year-old daughter, Emma, and 16-year-old son, Scott.
After graduating from Hayesville High School Grindstaff went to work for Robin Holly Tiger at Tigers Store in Hayesville. She then continued her education at N.C. State University earning a degree in business management.
“After I completed college, I went to work at United Community Bank for a couple years then took a job at the Clay County Department of Social Services for the next 18 years,” Grindstaff said.
Grindstaff started out processing adult Medicaid applications and then supervised economic services.
“I enjoyed working there. It was an extremely rewarding job having a chance to help people. It was always nice being able to help people, but it was hard when you had to tell them no, that you couldn’t help them,” she said.
She followed her heart and went to work at the Clay County Senior Center.
“It was during the pandemic of 2020 when I made the move to the CCSC. I came in during the remodeling of the building and over-saw that process, then helped get us opened back up after we were closed during COVID.”
The CCSC closed during COVID then opened back up, only to have to re-close again.
“While we were closed and unable to do activities we still delivered Meals on Wheels out of the Community Services Building, so people that were homebound still got their meals.
“The second time we closed down was so that Ben English and Jeff Ledford with the EMS could treat people and run the Antibody Infusion Clinic here at the center in an isolated area,” Grindstaff said.
Rewarding was what Grindstaff described her job working with seniors.
“My heart has always been with the elderly and this got me back in with the age group I love working with. My job is extremely rewarding and I enjoy socializing with the senior population. Also, socializing is something they need in their life. Even if a person doesn’t join in the activities, they have time with each other during lunch and that is important,” Grindstaff added.
The people who come to the center have a big interest in playing cards.
“They love playing cards and seeing them get together and enjoying each other’s company is one of the joys of my job. It’s important for them because it exercises the mind and gets them out of the house, which I know was hard on them during COVID.
“The ones who come regularly seem close, of course they all have their own groups they bond with. It’s hard on all of us when we lose someone. The last couple of months we have lost four of our seniors who came on a regular basis. That’s the downside to my job, but when we are sad, we are all sad together,” Grindstaff said.
“I do want to say if you are a senior we would love to have you come and join us. Come and eat lunch even if you don’t want to join in the activities. We do all kinds of activities and you might just find something that you really enjoy doing like playing cards, making crafts or just talking to someone and getting to know them.
“I would love to have you here with us. Having seniors come to the center is the part of my job I enjoy. When new seniors come here, I get to know them and form a friendship, or if we already know each other our friendship only flourishes. That’s what makes me love my job,” Grindstaff concluded.