The 33rd Annual Senior Conference, held on Thursday, April 18, at the Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School in Marlborough was a great success, with a turnout of over 600 seniors from each of the 14 communities in the Middlesex and Worcester district. I want to thank all of the seniors who attended this year’s conference, giving me a chance to learn more about their concerns and how state government can better serve them.
The Conference featured a variety of interactive workshops that covered topics such as tai chi, memoir writing, nutrition, and even “encore careers,” as well as exhibitors from local area businesses, nonprofits, and state agencies such as the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the State Treasurer’s Office, and the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism.
All of these workshops and exhibits were free for seniors in attendance, thanks to the generous support of our corporate sponsors, without whom this event would not have been possible. Major sponsors of the event included Boston Scientific Corporation, MetroWest Medical Center, New Horizons, Conservation Services Group, TJX Companies, Fallon Community Health Plan, and Marlborough Savings Bank. Other sponsors included: Brookfield Power, Avidia Bank, BOSE Corporation, National Grid, Ken’s Foods, Massachusetts Credit Union League, Inc., and Tufts Health Care. “Friends of the Seniors” included: Durand and Anastas Environmental Strategies and E.L. Harvey.
I would also like to give special thanks to Assabet Valley Regional Technical High School for their generosity and assistance in making this day possible through the use of their building, staff and student volunteers. In addition, I want to thank the Secretary of Elder Affairs Anne Hartstein, Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant, State Representative Kate Hogan, and State Representative Danielle Gregoire for serving as guest speakers as well.
I am proud to carry on this annual tradition, and encourage attendees to be in touch with my office if they have ideas on programming for next year’s Senior Conference.
Jamie Eldridge
State Senator, Middlesex and Worcester
