As Hensley steps down from senior adult services, Johnson steps up

ASHEBORO — Mark Hensley is passing the keys of the Randolph Senior Adults Association to Floyd Johnson.

After nearly seven years as director, Hensley will retire on June 27. Johnson will take his place as executive director.

Hensley grew up in Marion, east of Asheville, went to NC State University, then spent 38 years in banking. He moved to Asheboro in 2001, working for what’s now First Horizon for 18 years.

But when he was asked to transfer to Memphis, TN, Hensley chose to retire since Asheboro had become home for him and his wife Beth. Plus, their daughter, Gracie Hensley, is a nurse at Duke University Medical Center.

He hadn’t been retired but a few weeks when he was asked to succeed Martha Ogburn, who was leaving the directorship of the Senior Center.

“It was a fantastic opportunity to work with a great team and give back to the community,” Hensley said on June 19. “Sixty-five and older is the fastest growing demographic and we get calls every day from seniors with questions.”

Hensley said one of the biggest challenges he’s faced was the COVID-19 pandemic. “The most vulnerable population is what we serve. We closed the centers for 15 months but nobody missed a meal or a trip on RCATS (the transportation system).

“We found new ways to serve. The team rallied. If the answer can’t be ‘no,’ how to serve?”

Although the pandemic and resulting shutdown meant fewer riders on RCATS, he said, “we didn’t miss a single day of operation with transportation. We did everything to protect riders and drivers.”

Another problem was providing Meals on Wheels. Hensley said they asked the caterer, Golden Corral, how they could provide the daily meals and they suggest ed delivering 10 frozen meals to clients once every two weeks.

That left the situation with delivery drivers, most of whom are seniors.

Hensley said public health officials said seniors couldn’t be delivering to other seniors since they’re vulnerable to COVID. So the staff at Senior Adults began running the routes.

“We did it every two weeks for 15 months,” Hensley said. “I’m proud of the team, how they rallied to continue services.”

He said that when he took over as director in 2018, RSAA served 72,000 meals a year. “This year we will serve 105,000 meals. That illustrates the growth of the senior population.”

In fact, besides meals, the Senior Adults Association also provides activities, transportation, and help with tax filings and Medicare. “They’re all up dramatically, reflecting the demographics,” he said.

One program that’s begun during Hensley’s term is Stockings of Care. It was an idea of Jill Jackson, director or marketing and community engagement. Sewing groups handcraft stockings and Senior Adults purchases items to go in those stockings, such as personal hygiene and “things they can use.”

Girl Scouts and other volunteers stuff the stockings, which are delivered to the Meals on Wheels clients, more than 350 people.

“One client was in tears, saying it’s the only gift they’ll get for Christmas,” Hensley said. “It means a great deal for them to know they haven’t been forgotten.”

People working for a nonprofit won’t get rich, he said. “You have to have a passion for serving seniors. We are so blessed to work with such a good team. It’s been a great seven years with a great team.”

Asked what his plans are for retirement, Hensley said he and Beth have a place on the coast and hope to spend more time there. “But we’re not leaving Asheboro,” adding that he’ll be working with Rotary on the district level. He also serves on other nonprofit boards.

So expect to see the Hensleys around town for years to come.

Floyd Johnson takes over

Floyd Johnson grew up in Huntington, WV. After serving in the military, he attended Marshall University before spending the next 38 years working with non-profits, particularly Boys and Girls Clubs. Besides West Virginia, he’s also spent time in Louisiana and Virginia before coming to High Point, NC.

He worked with the Boys and Girls Club in High Point, which supports the clubs here in Asheboro. Then Johnson took a job with a mental health nonprofit but found it to be a different skill set than his own.

“I was looking to do something different and put my name in the hat” when he learned that Hensley was retiring.

“I like the mission here,” Johnson said. “With the exception of the age difference, what they’re doing transfers over.” Both Senior Adults and Boys and Girls Clubs involve activities, a central location, transportation and food. “And there’s a lot of grant funding that I’m familiar with.”

Johnson gave assurances that he doesn’t plan to make

wholesale changes at the Senior Adults Association but he will focus on “looking at ways to fill gaps and increase services.

“Costs are up but funding has not risen at the same level,” he said. “I’ll look at new sources of funding. That’s the challenge.”

Johnson said his mother made quilts and that “I had one growing up.” He used the making of quilts as an analogy to finding income sources. “It’s like a quilt — a patch here, a patch there.”

Johnson’s wife, Leslie, is a school teacher and they live in Jamestown. They kept two foster children for five years and chose to adopt Carla and Antonio rather than see them have to move to an unfamiliar situation.

As for the Senior Adults family, Johnson said, “We have a good solid team here, a good legacy across the community, a great building, good relationships with towns and support from Randolph County.

“I’ll look at what we can do to add and enhance services,” he said. “Mark has left it in good shape. I’m excited to be here.”

With his contacts with the Boys and Girls Club here, Johnson said he knows a few people in Asheboro and “I look forward to meeting more and serving more people.”

Hensley had the last word, saying of Johnson, “We’re fortunate to find someone of Floyd’s experience.”