Manuscript Library

Gold Card Association of Chemung County-The Gold Card Association was conceived by the Elmira Board of Education as a program to promote services for people over 60 in the city.  It was officially founded in March of 1968 with William Cieri, Administrator of Community Education for the Elmira School District, as the organization's first president.  The stated purpose of the Association was to develop activities for seniors, publish a newsletter for seniors, and encourage community involvement.  All members were entitled to a free ID card provided by the Chemung Canal Trust Company, a monthly newsletter and a directory of discounts and services for seniors offered by local businesses. 

The Gold Card Association became a non-for-profit corporation in 1970.  The new corporation was governed by 15 voting directors and 5 ad hoc members.  In 1998, the Gold Card Association expanded its services to the Elmira Heights, Horseheads, Odessa-Montour, Spencer-Van Etten, Watkins Glen and Waverly school districts.  In order to better serve those communities, the program dissolved the corporation and became part of the Schuyler-Chemung-Tioga BOCES.  In July of 2006, the Elmira City School District voted to cut funding for the Gold Card Association in the city.  In 2007, the other six school districts followed suit and the program came to an end in July of that year.