COAs get annual grants

The Executive Office of Elder Affairs to the Councils on Aging will distribute its annual grants to help support a variety of elder services, including local senior citizen staff positions and a myriad of programs that benefit elder citizens.

The grants are allocated every year using the community's population age 60 or older multiplied by $6.50.

Each town or cities Council on Aging gets to determine the use of the money each year and the money must be used by the end of the fiscal year. Ashburnham will receive $4,316.

"This year, we are using it to send out newsletters," said Ashburnham COA Director Mary Lee Mussell.

She said she hopes to send out two mailing by the end of June, but between the printing and the mailing she said it is fairly high priced. She added that the remainder of the money will probably be used to help support a volunteer stipend position that distributed information on activities and to help organize activities at the Senior Center.

"I am very proud of our Councils on Aging and the outstanding work they do each and every day for our senior citizens," said State Rep. Robert Rice (D-Gardner) in a press release. "I am proud of our senior advocates and the many volunteers who contribute countless hours providing meals and social events, outreach and transportation, fitness, clinical, and many other activities. Without these grants, communities would be unable to offer the breadth of services our seniors need and depend on every day."

The Westminster COA will receive $6,234 to defray costs for a T'ai Chi class, supplement the coordinator's salary and provide for mileage, postage, dues, volunteer recognition and conference/meeting attendance

"Having spent quite a bit of time at the Westminster Senior Center, I know what an important resource they are and how important this money will be," state Rep. Lewis G. Evangelidis (R-Holden) said in a press release.

There are 348 COAs in Massachusetts that provide more than 440,000 elders, their families and caregivers with direct services. Since 1956, the mission of these volunteer, municipally appointed agencies is to link elder needs and resources by developing and/or coordinating services, community education and advocacy. There are more than 300 senior and drop-in centers in the Commonwealth ranging from a part-time volunteer staffed room in town hall or a meal site to extensive multipurpose facilities with state-of-the-art amenities for the Commonwealth's 1.1 million elders.