Chuck's Corner for June

Folks:  This has been a tumultuous, full of excitement and great happiness June for the Seniors in our area! We have been on the go, busy raising funds, having congregate encounters, participating in multiple senior exercise programs, and meeting with prospective donors to further the “Bus for Us” goal as well as our continuing struggle to make ends meet administratively so that we can provide adequate programs for seniors in our area.  Much NEWS – Oh, where to start?  Perhaps with news on the “Bus for Us”:

 

The Mission of Greater Hillsborough Senior Services is to provide services and activities for the many seniors living in the Hillsboro, New Hampshire area. One of the hurdles in providing services in our area has been the lack of public transport. GHSS has tried to overcome this obstacle and provide transportation for seniors through the generous use of the Hillsboro Town-owned, recreational van, or rental transportation, to facilitate shopping trips, visits to doctors and excursions for seniors.

Unfortunately this summer the Hillsboro Town van, which they have previously allowed us to borrow, is needed for a series of newly rejuvenated recreation activities and its availability will be severely limited to GHSS. This hits our seniors especially hard because it is in the summer when we make most of our senior excursions and trips. As all of you know the main fund-raising goal of GHSS has been the purchase of a bus, the “Bus-for-Us” campaign.  Although we have long aimed at purchasing a new bus, the unavailability of the Hillsboro Town van for the summer of 2015, in large part because they need it for the activities that they will be offering at Manahan Park, has lead us to explore the possibility of purchasing a gently used vehicle.

Thanks to the continuing, generous donations of individuals and businesses we have been able to find and adopt a gently used, recent model, locally owned, bus that we will soon put to into full use.  This is not the new bus we would have liked to have purchased, but it is what we can (more or less) afford at this particular time.  More or less? Yes, we still have some fund raising to do.  We need to paint the bus, to identify it as GHSS.  We need to insure, register, get license plates, continually maintain and garage the bus in a safe location, particularly in the Winter.  These are details that we will work out with your continuing support!  Thanks to you ALL!

As was mentioned in the beginning of this news update we also held two, very enjoyable luncheons this month, one at St. Mary’s in Hillsboro with Lee, and Joyce handling the presentation and one in Deering this past Thursday at the Deering Community Church, with our now famous Chef’s Extraordinaire, Patty and Gary.  Both luncheons were well attended. The seniors had a great lunch and a wonderful time to talk and catch up with what is going on!

Also mentioned in the beginning were the exercise programs that we have been offering:  One was called armchair Yoga and was held in Hillsboro (with great participation, well over 40).  BY REQUEST it now has begun a second session!  The other program is Tai Chi Moving for Better Balance and that is being held in Deering.  It too has been well received.  And recently the Tai Chi group has asked the certified, instructor, Paul Carey, if he would be able to offer this again, maybe in September – more on this in the coming months.

Our “Bus for Us” fundraising has been in FULL SWING this month with raffles, two going on as these notes get to you: one a summer “Beachie” raffle and the other a fitness raffle offering a Kayak with paddles, a Mountain Bike, and a Fit Bit.  See us at the farmers market every Saturday or at Shaw’s during the upcoming holiday weekend.  Purchase your lucky tickets NOW before its too late!  And I almost forgot our “Seniors Stride Walk-A-Thon – YES we got out and walked a Marathon, of sorts – about two miles.   It was fun and we raised $957!  Barbara has been very instrumental in obtaining a $5000 donation from Shaws for the Bus-for-Us campaign, and Chuck succeeded in obtaining a grant of $5000 for the BUS from  Osram/Sylvania Administration. GHSS also received a very generous, anonymous private donation of $5000 toward the BUS!  We also received a donation of Graphics for our newly Adopted BUS from Maine Line Graphics now in Antrim.  And at this past Thursday’s morning meeting of the Rotary Club of Henniker Chuck was presented with a check for $1,000 from the club’s secretary, Joyce Bosse. ON BEHALF OF ALL HILLSBORO AREA SENIORS WE SAY A VERY HEARTFELT: THANK YOU, MERCI, GRAZZIE, GRACIAS, VIELEN DANKE TO ALL OF OUR DONORS AND SUPPORTERS !

Whew, I hope that I didn’t forget anything; if I did please let me know!  Remember its not too late to donate to the “Bus for Us” FUND!!

See you in Town or “On the Road with the BUS”

Chuck