Northwoods Senior Breakfast draws nearly 90 neighbors to discuss senior issues in Lincoln County

Between 80 and 90 area residents gathered at the Eagles Club in Merrill on March 28, 2026, for the first Northwoods Senior Breakfast, hosted by the newly formed Senior Empowerment Project — a multi-county organizing initiative that grew out of local efforts around nursing home privatization in Wisconsin.
Co-organizer Eileen Guthrie said the group is focused on moving forward. “We’ll be active in naming issues and working toward solutions facing our seniors in rural and small-town Wisconsin,” Guthrie said.
The morning featured presentations from Jessica Mudgett, Executive Director of the Merrill Housing Authority, on housing access and affordability; Chad Suwyn of the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Central Wisconsin, on available regional services; and Addie Costello, Health Reporter for Wisconsin Watch, on the statewide landscape of long-term care, including growing demand, facility closures, and costs. The T.B. Scott Free Library also had a display of resources available through the library. Attendees enjoyed an egg bake and fruit salad prepared by planning team members Scott and Linda Doerr as part of the gathering.
Through facilitated table discussions, three concerns emerged as top priorities for area seniors: transportation access across city and county lines, including weekend services; isolation and the need to connect people — including those left behind by technology — to information, resources, and community; and senior healthcare access, caregiver support, and respite care.
In a notable moment, attendees tallied their monthly volunteer hours and estimated that the people in the room alone contribute roughly $304,000 worth of volunteer service to the community each year. Attendees also donated $250 earmarked for the Merrill Food Pantry through a free-will donation bucket at the registration table that morning.

“Senior citizens have more power than they realize,” said Rev. Michael Southcombe, who moderated the event. “When they gather and talk about the issues they’re facing, they start to see opportunities and focus on solutions.”
The Senior Empowerment Project plans to use the priorities identified to shape its agenda for the months ahead.
The event was organized by a volunteer planning team of Linda Doerr, Scott Doerr, Eileen Guthrie, Marge Roggenbuck, and Rev. Mike Southcombe.
For more information, follow the group’s Facebook page at facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573934337375.