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Blackstone senior center outlines fall classes, services and community events
Summary
The Town of Blackstone senior center announced fall programming—including line dancing, a choir and radio theatre—staff trainings, a raised-garden-bed grant and a townwide shredding day on Oct. 5; staff said a nutrition hire is pending and outreach work will ramp up for benefits season.
Maggie, the senior center director, told board members the center’s new newsletter and fall calendar are in members’ packets and highlighted a cluster of programs and services planned through the fall.
The director said transportation rides in August were "slightly down" and praised the center’s drivers as "one of the best transportation programs in the area." She outlined outreach and benefits work led by staff member Kayla, saying Kayla will attend state training on fuel assistance and a behavioral-health program to help expedite fuel-assistance applications and assist residents during Medicaid and Medicare open enrollment.
The center is continuing to recruit for a nutrition position; Maggie said the staff has "a good-looking candidate" but is still awaiting a response. Fall programming includes beginner and intermediate line-dancing classes, potential tap-dancing sessions if interest is sufficient, and a new "dance fusion" class inspired by aerobics. The choir established this month with instruction from Kayla will add a professional instructor in September, Maggie said.
Arts and community events will also be offered: a new radio-theatre troupe calling itself the Beyond Our Primetime Radio Players is scheduled to perform at the center on Oct. 21. The recreation department received a grant to build raised garden beds behind town hall; Maggie said seniors can plant vegetables or flowers in the beds, which organizers expect to have in use by late fall or, at the latest, in spring.
An attendee raised concerns about vandalism at nearby Roosevelt Park and asked whether cameras would cover the new gardens; staff and the facilitator said there are cameras around the building but that they were not sure whether those cameras cover the park or garden area.
The center will host a townwide shredding truck on Oct. 5 during the center’s field day, Maggie said, and staff are arranging reduced-rate haircuts and nail services as well as an on-site podiatry visit that will bill insurance directly—services intended to help residents who have trouble traveling or need clinical care such as diabetic foot care.
Maggie and Carolyn, who writes the newsletter, also discussed a new "spotlight a senior" feature intended to preserve members’ stories; the first profile will be Connie, who is 93. Several volunteer activities were noted, and the center is still seeking help with gardening and other ongoing needs.
The meeting record indicates these items were presented and discussed; no formal policy decisions or budget authorizations were recorded during this discussion.
