Happy Fall to Everyone!
Hope everyone is well and enjoying their week. I have a few things to report:
Last Saturday’s Annual Chamber of Commerce HarvestFest was well attended, and AFCI’s booth was quite busy. People from near and far are interested in hearing about our volunteer efforts to serve our older citizens. The main goal of being an “age-friendly” community is for everyone to thrive throughout the lifespan. We try to address the physical and social needs of those aged 60+ by providing or supporting existing programs.
We do offer one program for people of all ages, made possible through our partnership with the Bethel Rotary Club. Members of both organizations work together to provide medical equipment from the Lending Closet. People of any age may occasionally need wheelchairs, walkers, commodes, shower stools, crutches, or canes. If you know someone preparing for surgery or dealing with an unexpected medical event, please ask them to call AFCI at 207-824-4444 and leave a message. A volunteer will return their call as soon as possible.
It was a beautiful sunny day for the festival. Along with informational handouts and brochures, we displayed a brand-new, large strip-quilted tote bag being raffled by the Bethel Senior Citizens Club. The bag has two large pockets: one for a cell phone and one for an iPad. Tickets are available for a donation of $5 for six, and the winner will be drawn in December. Proceeds will help fund a special Christmas and holiday party for members and their guests. I hope the chance to win this tote bag encourages you to donate, but more importantly, I hope you will join us in honoring, supporting, and bringing cheer to our older citizens.
The Bethel Senior Citizens Club meets on the second Wednesday of each month from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for a meeting and lunch. The club is open to people age 50+ from all area towns, and membership dues are $10 per year. If you would like to attend as a guest, please contact me. The club has a special “Turkey Train” outing in New Hampshire planned for October 16. All ages are welcome. Look for more details in next week’s column.
Besides the candy and apples, people were drawn to our booth by the smiling welcome of our volunteers throughout the day. A sincere “Thank You” to: Moriah McDonough, Bob Elliot, Susan Mckay Parker, Scott Parker, Charlie Raymond, Kathy McMahon, Steve Wight, and Katina Colombotos. And a special thank you to RePant for collaborating with us, with a Big Shout Out and Thanks to Sue Lowe and Judy Rose.
(I just love living in this caring community!!!)
We also held a free raffle for a fall-themed wreath for anyone who shared their email address to receive AFCI’s monthly events calendar. Steve Wight was the lucky winner. Printed copies of the calendar are available at Mainely Provisions, but we encourage you to help AFCI reduce printing costs and paper waste by choosing a digital copy instead. To receive the calendar by email, please contact melindaremington@yahoo.com.
Another fun update: on Monday, two other women and I attended the free Adult Ed Tech Talk/iPhone Play Date. Adult Ed Director Terry Childs guided us through steps to become more familiar with our phone’s features. It was both helpful and funny to discover what we didn’t know and then practice as we learned. By the end of the two-hour session, we were all pleased with what we had learned, both individually and together. The next session is Friday, October 2nd, 12:30-2:30 pm. Please call the SAD44 Adult Ed office to reserve your free space. 207-824-2136 Ext. 1341
