6 Takeaways from the Council on Aging Monthly Meeting

Tickets are now available for festive Dec. 1 party catered by Village Inn; anti-scams seminar scheduled

Seeing a quorum present, Chairperson Lynn Murphy called the meeting to order at 3 p.m.

The council then unanimously approved the minutes of October 19, 2023 and the financials for November 2023.

The calendar for December was presented and discussed with a few additions:

Friday, December 1, 2023 is the annual Friend’s of the Elderly Christmas Party. Be sure to get your tickets early as seating is limited. Tickets are $35 pp. Come and enjoy a delicious sit-down dinner provided by the Village Inn. The New Magnolia Jazz Band will provide the music for your dancing and listening pleasure. There will be a cash bar, raffles and door prizes too. The Holiday season begins.

On Wednesday December 6 at 10 a.m., Selectperson James Mackey will talk about “SCAMS” and how we, as seniors, can protect ourselves. Mackey is a cybersecurity engineer and was instrumental in bringing a cyber assessment team to the Town of Tewksbury to identify weaknesses in our cyber security and then providing feedback on how it could be improved. He will be joined by the Municipal Cyber Association, and the seminar on spotting scams and fraud is based on guidelines and research from the National Council on Aging. Residents can call 978-640-4480 to sign up. Walk-ins are welcome. 

On Thursday December 14, Letourneau’s Pharmacy will administer the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine. This clinic will only have scheduled appointments. There will be NO walk-in appointments. Watch for information as to how this clinic will be administered.

Director Jan Conole gave her report on several activities happening at the center:

The next DJ Dance/Lunch is on Monday, December 18. Early sign-up is recommended as this tends to sell out quickly. Cost is $8 pp which includes lunch. Tickets may be purchased “at the door” but may not include lunch.

Be on the lookout for the indoor Winter Farmer’s Market. Robert Hayes and Alexandra Lowder will now oversee the continuance of Tewksbury’s popular summer market. Once a month, there will be 30 vendors and 2 food trucks at the Senior Center. The first market will be on Thursday, December 28, 2023.

The Director has filed for grants to continue funding several popular programs, like the Strongwater Farm. Jan would also like to provide funding to host new Memory Cafes with entertainment, additional garden beds and possibly more technology classes. An additional grant, in collaboration with the Health Department, will offer new wellness information by the Town Nurse.

The next meeting of the COA will be on December 19 at 3:00 p.m.

Be on the lookout for the December issue of the Senior Moments Newsletter. Learn of the many happenings and activities at the very busy Tewksbury Senior Center.

Happy Anniversary to the Men’s Group. 10 years ago Mike McDermott started the bimonthly meetings and they have been going strong ever since. Might be something to check out for a dose of reality, laughter and good old common sense.