HomeMy WebLinkAbout2007-11-19 Council on Aging MinutesR' C IVED
0`,N C(:.ERK
DING HASS.
Council on Aging Board Meeting
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Monday, November 19, 2007`00 J 'U'l i 2 P 12: 41
Reading Senior Center-Game Room
Present: Carol Patterson, Carole Scrima, Stacey Bertocchi, Barbara Powers, Margaret Havey,
Sally Hoyt, Ruth Goldberg, Edwina Kasper, Marguerite Bosnian, Steve Oston, Dawn Folopoulos
(staff), and Charlie McDonald (associate member).
6:03 Meeting called to order.
October 15, 2007 Minutes approved as corrected.
Sally noted that when an absence is called in it should be recorded on the minutes as excused and
not absent.
Administrator's Report approved and accepted.
o September and October statistics will be available for December COA meeting.
o There are two new categories on the statistics, which are Nurse Advocate Clients and Nurse
Advocate contacts.
o Employee Volunteer Day was postponed until the spring due to inclement weather.
Financial Report approved and accepted.
Steve noticed a deficit on page 7 Elder Affairs Grant and asked for an explanation. Dawn
explained that the grant was not awarded yet.
Old Business
o Stacey gave an update on the coordination with Sue Reardon of the spring clean up and
shoveling volunteers from Parker Middle School. More information will follow.
o Updated the contact list.
o Envelopes were passed out to those who volunteered to deliver Thanksgiving meals with the
names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the recipients.
o The Administrator made a list of volunteers who will deliver the Christmas dinners.
o Barbara provided a list of Senior Discounts from the COA of Wakefield.
o Steve suggested listing only Reading businesses on our discount list and he offered to chair a
subcommittee starting in January 2008. Ruth, Barbara, and Marguerite volunteered to be on
this subcommittee.
o Sally mentioned that directory assistance 411 is free if you let the telephone company know
you are over 65.
. New Business
o Dawn presented the Pleasantries in large print and shared the Nurse Advocate press release.
o COA members were invited to attend upcoming Senior Center events in order to experience
firsthand some of the programming. Discussion of how nametags would be beneficial so that
seniors can identify COA members. It was suggested that all those members who have
nametags wear them to the next meeting.
o Sally made a recommendation that next year there should be a "Town Sponsored"
Thanksgiving meal for seniors like there use to be. 2006 was the last year that the VFW
sponsored a dinner with entertainment and a gift for 200 seniors. It was suggested that the
Chamber of Commerce might consider sponsoring the event.
o Ruth had a comment and a question. The food is not good at the senior center and Ruth
believes that is the reason for the poor attendance at lunchtime. She commented to Daniel
O'Leary of MVES and he promised her he would look into it but nothing has changed. Is
there anything COA can do to try and help this situation? Dawn explained how that MVES
delivers congregate meals to the 8 towns in their catchment area. Dawn believes that most of
the funding for the meals comes from State grants. Cost for the seniors and the town is also a
factor. The current suggested donation for lunch is $1.50 and the current annual cost to the
Town is $5,563. Discussion of other options such as the caterer for the Reading's school
system and the Northeast Regional School culinary chefs. Andover COA has a chef. Ruth
will call Andover COA to learn more about their meal plan because she had lunch there and
it was outstanding.
Motion to Adjourn 7:35
Respectfully submitted,
Stacey Bertocchi
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