James Kleinknecht receives a lunch at the Union County Senior Center in La Grande on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021.

LA GRANDE — Walking into the Union County Senior Center at midday on Wednesday, Dec. 15, was a little like stepping 21 months back in time.

For the first time since March 2020 the dining area of the senior center was filled with people eating lunch together. The sit-down meal was the first the Union County Senior Center has served since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Oregon and forced Gov. Kate Brown to ban the serving of meals in social settings.

The lunch served Dec. 15 marked the reopening of one of Union County’s most popular lunch stops, a place where seniors have been enjoying midday meals every weekday for at least three decades. The center is open again for congregate meals because of falling COVID-19 infection rates.

The meal was cause for a celebration, attended by more than 30 seniors. Colorful balloons were at the dining tables, champagne and the center’s ever-popular fried chicken was served, and everyone got to eat for free.

“It is exciting to see everyone together again and see old friends,” Kathy McDevitt, of La Grande, said.

She added the Dec. 15 reopening date was one seniors had been eagerly waiting for.

“There was such anticipation,” she said.

Everyone coming for lunch was again signed in by Gerry Montgomery. The Union County Senior Center volunteer has been signing people in for meals for almost three decades.

“It was so nice to see everybody back,” Montgomery said. “I was glad to see everybody happy and feeling good today. It makes you think we will be getting back to normal.”

Deb O’Rourke, a volunteer server at the senior center, said it was delightful to see so many coming to enjoy a midday meal.

“I love to see the faces. It was nice to see people socializing again,” she said.

Sydney Gleeson, Union County food services manager for Community Connection of Northeast Oregon, said having the seniors back for in-person dining was exciting, and it was gratifying to see how happy they were to be back.

“It was fun,” she said. “Everyone one was bursting with energy.”

While the Union County Senior Center had not served sit-down meals for 21 months due to COVID-19, it has continued to prepare lunches and dinners for its Meals on Wheels program and initiated a grab-and-go lunch program that will continue. The takeout lunches are now provided on weekdays between noon and 1 p.m. and can be picked up at the back entrance of the senior center’s kitchen.

McDevitt credits the senior center’s kitchen staff with doing an excellent job of continuing to provide tasty, nutritious meals despite not having as much food as needed because of supply chain issues.

“I think we all should be grateful that they are making do and putting out good meals. We should be honoring them,” she said.