OCONOMOWOC — For years, lunchtime at Oconomowoc’s senior dining site wasn’t just about food — it was about connection.
Eighty-one-year-old Tom Miller came five days a week. He played cards, swapped stories, and shared meals with friends who had become like family.
“That was a highlight of my life,” Miller said. “It was something to get up for every day.”
That routine ended Sept. 12, when the Waukesha County Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) closed the Oconomowoc site. The agency said attendance had dropped to about seven diners a day while costs continued to rise.
County leaders also cited safety concerns — seniors had to cross a busy street to reach that location.
ADRC Manager Jennifer Wrucke said in a September interview that the department is focusing on how to use limited funding to reach residents with the greatest need.
Watch: After county closes meal site, Oconomowoc seniors and city leaders step up
“We’re not expecting increases in grants,” Wrucke said. “We have to look at the dollars we have and make sure we’re serving those most in need.”
City officials said they learned of the closure too late to intervene.
Alderwoman Karen Spiegelberg, who reached out to TMJ4 News with concerns about the impact, began organizing a way for seniors to continue meeting.
She helped launch weekly lunches at the Oconomowoc Area Senior Center, relying on donations and local business support
“It’s not just about the meal,” Spiegelberg said. “It’s about a chance for them to get together and have fellowship and friendship.”
On Wednesday, more than a dozen seniors came together for that weekly lunch.
Looking ahead, the Oconomowoc Common Council allocated $12,500 in the 2026 city budget to support the weekly meal program.
Spiegelberg said she hopes more community partners step forward to help expand it.
“We’ll have to rely on donations to keep this going through next year, and hopefully more people will collaborate with us,” Spiegelberg said.
“The seniors worked hard to make Oconomowoc great. This is a small price to pay to continue meal programs for them in some form.”
The ADRC continues providing home-delivered meals to Oconomowoc clients, but said those meals are now packaged out of Sussex and Mukwonago.
Other dining sites remain open across the county, including in Sussex, New Berlin, Brookfield, Mukwonago, Waukesha, and Menomonee Falls.
Wrucke said the ADRC serves about 2,000 residents each year through countywide nutrition programs, including home-delivered and congregate meals. Officials said they are reviewing new options — such as restaurant partnerships — to modernize the program and keep it sustainable.
Miller said he’s grateful to still have a place to sit down with friends.
“I’d even pay five dollars for a meal,” he said. “It's worth that and more.”
If you're interested in participating or donating, you can call 262-354-8186.
Transparency note:
Alderwoman Karen Spiegelberg contacted TMJ4 News in September regarding the closure. She has since announced her candidacy for mayor of Oconomowoc. Alderman Matt Rosek is also running for mayor. The current mayor is not seeking re-election.
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