Valentine’s Day Lore       Tie a blue satin ribbon around your bare ankle & you’ll be kissed by day’s end.  

In ancient Greece, tossing an apple to a young woman was a proposal of marriage and catching it was acceptance.

Th. Feb. 15 “Day after Valentines” Lunch 11:15, $2.50,door prizes, candy!  Sign up by Feb 8  - 781-982-2146

 

Fuel Assistance - Volunteers Mary Cooke & Bill Kendall help folks complete the application for fuel assistance.  You do not have to be an elder to receive this help from the Council on Aging.  Call 781-982-2146 for free appointment – either Tues or Thurs morning, at Town Hall, Abington. 

Income Tax Time Again! Senior Income Tax assistance available - free.  Volunteers Greg Doyon and Bud Wheaton will be with again this season to help Seniors prepare and file simple tax returns.  Tues/Thurs mornings from Feb. 6 – April 12, at the Council on Aging. Call 781-982-2146 for appointment.  1^st come, 1^st served. 

 

pg. 2

 

SERVE: a smart way to get healthy food!  Volunteer two hours per month in the community, get food package $20.  Call Phil Vargus, 781-878-4921, for further information.    

 

 Happy  Birthday and thank you to our COA Volunteers

      (Abraham Lincoln & George Washington also)

    Feb. 2    Natalie Walker           Feb. 3   Florence Severin

    Feb. 4     Valerie Barry            Feb. 12   Bob Donlan

    Feb. 22    Kate Kelley              Feb. 27    Betty Berry  

                                                       

Family Caregiver Support Program - free services to those caring for loved ones 60 or older. Call Old Colony Elderly Services (800)242-0246 ext. 245

 

 

Reverse Mortgage – must be 62 to participate.  House rich, cash poor? Reverse Mortgage allows you to use your home equity to pull out cash for any use.  Don’t  pay back until you move or home is sold. Connect with Specialist John Fournier, call the COA 78-982-2146.

 

 

From Time to Time someone offers a used lift-chair, stair climber, etc. Get on list if interested for next time. 982-2146 

 

(Social Club) Senior Citizens Association, an active social club for Abington residents who have passed the 59^th birthday. Meets 2^nd Monday each month at 12noon, VFW Hall on Central St.   $7 to join,  $5 yearly dues.       

 

                                                Abington SENIOR CENTER FUND                                        pg  3

The Senior Center Fund has a new address for donations. P.O. Box 2035, Abington MA 02351

Memberships and Donations – make checks payable to “Senior Center Fund”             Membership: $5.

Iva Dix                                                 Carl Franzen                                        Russell & Lucille Phillips                                     Kenneth & Dorothy Taylor                     Frank Taylor                                         Meredith Turcotte

                                                           Jacqueline Whitten                               Biz (Beaton) Zaleski

In memory of Paul Cheverie, by Carmela Cheverie

In memory of daughter Carole Marsh, by Rita Webster 

In memory of Clara McIlvain, by Franklin School Brockton, David/Judith Stevens, Senior Citizen Association

In memory of Colin Whalen, by Arthur and Joan Whalen

Lifetime Memberships $100

Anne Nelson, in memory of John, Paul and Sam

Walter (Skip) Pulsifer, III, in memory of Gertrude Pulsifer

Connie Rhodes, in memory of Emily Jule - and Dusty 

$100 Club

In memory of Alice Adams, by Harry Boulay

Abington VFW Men’s Auxiliary ($200)

Joan McLaughlin

 

$500 Club     We thank families for selecting Senior Center Fund for gifts in memory of loved ones.

In memory of Mrs. Hazel Weir wife, mother and grandmother, by George Weir and family   

 (George’s 3 children and 6 grandchildren decided to give to charity, rather than holiday presents)

 Thanks to George, Carol, Kevin, Kathleen  and  Jeff, Jen, Scott, Elizabeth, Jake and Avery 

In memory of Leo Natale: (many others were listed in Dec. & Jan. newsletters)               Patricia Bowers           

Nancy Marino        Nancy Montgomery and Florence Frost         William/Mary Roache         Marianne Vezerian

 

 

Members & Associates of the committee(s) for Senior Center talk to us about the Senior Center!

Betty Berry                  Paul Chase              Norma Clark                      Bill Cox                        Joanne Curtis

Mary Donlan                Robert Donlan           Rita Estey                       Joe Iacobucci                  Diane Keith

Kate Kelley                 Bill Kendall              Janice King                     David Klein                     Nancy Lehtonen              

Lorraine Leventuk        Jack Libby                Roger Moore                  John Reeves                  Flo Severin               

                                          Joe Shea                         Betty Slinger                  George Whiting

SENIOR CENTER DONATIONS: MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO “SENIOR CENTER FUND”                

 

Pg. 4

 

SENIOR CENTER NEWS                                            

The rejoicing continues, as we anticipate getting our future Senior Center built!

Senior Center Committee Co-Chairs:  Joanne Curtis and  Diane Keith Building Chair:   Lorraine Leventuk

 

The cost of constructing the Senior Center has been guaranteed through a Town vote.  We are still raising money, of course, to furnish the Senior Center - including a stainless steel kitchen, computer lab, supplies, etc. Senior Center fundraising is continuous.  Why not “get on the bandwagon” and volunteer with this great team!  You can dive in fully, or just put a toe in the water by volunteering for just one event.  Either way, you will be happily connected to the Senior Center even before we move in there!           

 

The design for the Senior Center by Architect Doug Ulwick, will be complete by the time you read this.  If you can read design plans, you are welcome to view the copy we keep in the office.  We also have a 3-D model. 

 

Fundraisers Available Now:  

Fleece Blanket Patriots/Red Sox,  donated by Judy Young   tickets $5. each – Drawing in February 

Hilliards Candybars – think Valentine’s Day!   $1 per bar

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Abington CALENDAR PAGE IS NOW  PAGE  5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pg. 6

 

Nutrition:  Meals on Wheels and the Senior Luncheon through the Council on Aging    781-982-2146

Meals on Wheels- Are you homebound? Just coming home from hospital or rehab?  Monday – Friday, the Council on Aging offers home-delivered lunches.  We can arrange for a meal right to your door and a volunteer will check in with you.  The cost to the Senior is just $2.50 per meal, payable on Mondays for the week.  (A referral is required of course - from a doctor, visiting nurse, social worker, or case manager.) Call 781-982-2146

Senior Luncheon Thursdays 11:15am a delicious luncheon is served to Seniors age 60 & up. Cost to the Senior is just $2.50.  Location:  The hall in the Baptist Church, 225 Adams St., Abington.  30-40 people join us each week; we have space for 75 people.  Council on Aging will provide a free ride if you need one.  Thursday,  March 15^th free Senior Luncheon sponsored by Abington Rotary, hall at Baptist Church, 11:15am                    

 

 

 

 

Elder Law Attorney George Whiting founded this free law                                                               pg. 7

clinic at the Council on Aging.   Consult the specialist about

Old  Colony Elderly Services:  (OCES) providing care

to Elders and/or their caretakers,  to  enable seniors  to  live

independently in their homes as long as it is safe for them to

do so. Call Norma Clark, COA, 781-982-2146 to activate a

referral, or call 508-584-1561 yourself.

______________________________________________________________________________

MOVIE Showings 10:15am, Abington Library.   Free.

Tues, Feb 6  “Little Miss Sunshine”- all star comedy

Tues, Feb 20“Love’s Abiding Joy”–wholesome drama  

_____________________________________________________________________________

Scam - neither Medicare nor Social Security call Seniors

at home out of the blue.  We hear that criminals call, asking

Seniors for social security or Medicare numbers, bank accounts,

etc.  Not expecting a criminal to be calling, folks sometimes do

unwittingly give these numbers to the caller.   Do not do this!  

 

N.E. Pension Assistance Project: A worker or surviving

spouse may not even know about (or what became of)

pension plan(s).  Pension Project at U Mass Boston,

helps Seniors find pensions, recover benefits, understand

plans, Social Security & etc.  Call Toll free   888-425-6067 

 

Fri. Shopping Bus, year round.  Morning trip to a different

shopping locale each Friday.  Call Shopping Coordinator,

Natalie Walker, or the COA, for more information.         

 

Announcement:   Many remember Norma Cheney Kent.

Did you know that Norma founded a counseling center for

Abington and the surrounding communities? The Center office

is located downstairs at the United Church, Rt 18.  Counseling

for Seniors might involve discussing family, aging issues, maybe

losses which come. Visits covered by Medicare, sliding fee or

free. Call 781-878-0199 for more information. Confidential.  

 

It’s all about Attitude: If I can walk and talk and see and

pee, I’m not complaining.               (submitted by Adele D.)

 

Attend Open Meetings –

Council on Aging Board   9am,  3^rd Wed. of month,  Town Hall

Senior Center Committee 10am, 3^rd Wed. of  month, Town Hall

Building Committee (eve)  7pm,  3^rd Mon. of month,  Town Hall

 

Pg. 8

 

Senior Safe-keeping  1) Look at your driver’s license.  Is your license number your social security number? Oh oh.  Change that immediately, to number assigned by the Registry.   2) Look at your checkbook.  Is your whole name printed? Is your phone number or social security number included?  Oh oh.  Use your initials rather than your first and middle name.  Never offer your social security number.  3) Photocopy the contents of your wallet.  Keep this information in a safe place in case of emergency or loss.  (submitted by Joanne MacNeill)

 

My Mom gave me “365 Great Things about Getting Older” calendar–I will share some quotes!   -   Linda

“Age puzzles me.  I thought it was a quiet time.  My seventies were interesting and fairly serene but my eighties are passionate.  I grow more intense with age.”                                                         Florida Scott-Maxwell              

 

Senior Informer via e-mail   Send your e-address to:  lelliot@abingtonmass.com

Abington website w/Council on Aging information! (thanks Paul Cahill)  www.ourabington.com