5 March, 2015
On Wednesday, March 4th, the Council on Aging met for their monthly meeting to discuss current and future happenings at the senior center.
Director Cindy Chesmore updated the council on plans to expand the game room for the senior center. A new pool table has been donated, and the room will be expanded slightly to accommodate the new table. Ms. Chesmore also noted to the council that after the closing of the Golden Spoon, the senior center was gifted several items from the restaurant to be used in their kitchens, for which the council expressed their gratitude.
Assistant director Amy Beck announced that the senior center received a grant to begin a walking club. Since there is so much snow on the ground, the club will begin walking at the Solomon Pond Mall; they hope to start walking two times a week with a group of seven to 10 people.
Finally, outreach workers discussed an increase in need for fuel assistance and energy aid. With this particularly cold winter, the senior center has received many more calls than usual for fuel assistance and help paying energy bills. Notably, outreach worker Marlene Troupes said, many requests are for people aged 19-59, as there is no other resource in town for help. The council also discussed a recent scam involving electric companies, where third parties will call seniors promising to lower their electric bills, only to lock them into contracts, often at a higher rate than they were paying before. Ms. Chesmore suggested adding an article to the Hilltopper newsletter warning seniors about the scam.
The Council on Aging meets next on Wednesday, April 1st.
