By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

Building a senior center was a hard sell to Tisbury voters many years ago. So when fans and friends gathered on Sunday to celebrate the Tisbury senior center’s 20th anniversary, it was a festive occasion.

Center director Joyce Stiles-Tucker recalled her 32 years of working for the town seniors, first as a coordinator and later as director of the center. Much of her time in those early years was spent advocating for the center and services for seniors. It was not always an easy journey, she said.

On Sunday special honors went to Cora S. Medeiros, a Tisbury town mother who was a selectman when the center was built. Mrs. Medeiros received a plaque of appreciation from the selectmen for her efforts during those years. Selectman Tristan Israel added his own words of appreciation for Mrs. Medeiros. “She was tenacious. She really fought for it,” Mr. Israel said.

The event included music, and delicious food and refreshments were set out on tables covered with bright green cloths and centerpieces.

Twenty years ago Tisbury was the only down-Island town not to have a senior center. “We used the town hall annex as the center,” Ms. Stiles-Tucker recalled. Today the center serves nearly 1,000 seniors.

Construction began in the fall of 1990 and in June the following year an open house was held in the completed building. The 7,500-square-foot center was designed by architect Niels Gabel-Jorgenson, who died halfway through the project. Some $300,000 in grant money came from the state Executive Office of Community Development for the project. At an annual town meeting, town voters agreed to provide the necessary $300,000 match. Contributions came from other organizations and individuals. The late Freeman Leonard was chairman of the town council on aging and also the chairman of the building committee.

Board members who attended the Sunday celebration included Sandy Pratt, board chairman Connie Teixeira, and Donald Rose, dressed in a tuxedo and acting as the evening’s emcee. He was assisted by Sterling Bishop, who spun the music working as the evening’s disc jockey. After speeches, Mr. Bishop played Joe Cocker singing the classic Beatles tune, With a Little Help from My Friends.

Mr. Rose had created a 46-page book to commemorate the anniversary ,which included color photographs spanning the 20 years at the center.

Ms. Stiles-Tucker said later she was pleased by the turnout and the mood of the evening.