At the Oct. 4 Council on Aging open house, information tables lined the periphery of the large activities room, and round tables in the middle were laden with sandwiches and dessert. “The food is delicious,” commented Martha Guptill of Old Littleton Road, toasting with a stuffed roll. The two-hour event was an opportunity for residents to see the new home of the COA and senior center, 16 Lancaster County Road, and learn about all that it has to offer. It was also an easy way for people to pick up useful information—and pens, whistles, and chocolates—from various town organizations such as police, fire, and ambulance, and other agencies serving Harvard, such as Minuteman Senior Services and Nashoba Associated Boards of Health.
Maria Holland and Jen Schoenberg speak with Ruth and John McCormack.(Photos by Lisa Aciukewicz)
State Sen. Jamie Eldridge was in attendance, as he so often is at Harvard’s events, and he read an official citation from the state Senate, congratulating the COA on the grand opening of the new center. He cited the area’s increase in the target population and the dire need for such agencies to provide direct services as well as referrals to partner agencies in a single location. Members of the COA board and the Friends of the COA were on hand to greet people and answer questions. Board treasurer Margaret Murphy said of the building, “It is truly thrilling to see it in person after looking at plans” for so long.
Lisa Rosen, assistant director, verbalized sentiments several visitors had already expressed in different ways: “I love it,” she said. She thought she might miss Hildreth House, previous home of the senior center, but she said the light at the new facility is wonderful, and the open space “makes it more conducive to the increasing number of programs we are offering.” With a large room that can be closed off into two separate spaces, there is provision for on-site exercise programs and presentations as well as a spacious dining area. David Durrant, an architect by profession, said it was the first time he had been in the building, and he was favorably impressed. But, as the owner of a plug-in hybrid vehicle, he added, “It needs an electric charging station.”
Suzanne LaPointe picks up some informative materials offered by Jen Schoenberg and Andrew Perry of the Harvard Fire and Ambulance departments.
Clockwise around the room, the first table had visuals and texts about the transportation services and various programs the COA offers. At one point Nancy Webber engaged several people in a short yoga session in the closed-off dining area and had information about the weekly class she offers. Later Deb Oliva conducted a Zumba Gold demonstration to publicize the new class she is running at the senior center Tuesday evenings at 6:30.
Pat Natoli, municipal services administrative assistant, was representing the Harvard Police Department and displayed numerous safety handouts and a useful pamphlet about emergency preparedness. But Natoli was even more excited about a new recruit coming on board in November—a chocolate Lab puppy, yet to be named, who will be trained as a comfort dog by officer Tim Schaeffer. Natoli said that as fondly as residents remember Detective Daniele Fortunato and her police assistant black Lab, Dusty, it will be even more engaging to watch a puppy grow and become an important part of the police force.
State Sen. Jamie Eldridge speaks to Beth Williams, Margaret Murphy, Guy Oliva, and Kelene Blumstein.
Andrew Perry, lieutenant and EMT, and firefighter Jen Schoenberg were there from the Harvard Fire Department, and the Harvard Ambulance Service was represented by co-director Jason Cotting, who is also a firefighter and EMT. The table had handouts about fire escape plans, fall prevention, and signs of stroke. Anyone who picked up and later tried out one of the bright blue whistles can attest to its piercing loudness that is sure to get someone’s attention in an emergency situation. There was a line to sign up for a free reflective house number sign to put at the end of one’s driveway for easy identification by first responders.
Schoenberg could also have been at the next table with her fellow COA outreach worker, Maria Holland. Holland was informative about the various supports and resources she and Schoenberg provide for older or disabled residents who need them. There were important forms available, like a refrigerator magnet with an attached File of Life card to be filled in with vital information for an emergency responder, a MOLST form (medical orders for life-sustaining treatment), and a Five Wishes sheet on which to write down end-of-life directives.
Harvard is one of the towns served by Minuteman Senior Services, and a representative answered questions and had handouts on caregiver support, Meals on Wheels, home care resources, legal services, and other programs. A table for Nashoba Associated Boards of Health, which offers environmental and public health nursing services, including immunization clinics, to 16 area towns, was staffed by Jenna Montgomery, public health educator and communications specialist.
There were about 50 attendees at the open house, and resident Suzanne LaPointe spoke for many of them in saying she liked the bright, open space of the new senior center and the increasing number of services the COA can now offer. She had taken the opportunity to collect information from the various tables about resources available for the community’s safety and well-being.
The Police Department
shared some
exciting news.
