Lunch menu
Monday: Baked macaroni and cheese, zucchini and stewed tomatoes, chilled mandarin oranges, multigrain bread.
Tuesday: Salmon boat with dill sauce, whipped potatoes, green beans, tossed salad with dressing, Lorna Doones, low fat muffin.
Wednesday: Baked turkey ham with raisin sauce, whipped sweet potatoes, Italian blend vegetables, diced pears, whole wheat bread.
Thursday: Backyard Barbecue — Beef and veal sausage with peppers and onions, hot potato salad, kernel corn, watermelon or apple, lemonade or juice, small sub roll.
Friday: Sliced turkey cold plate with mayonnaise, three bean salad, cole slaw, chocolate pudding or diet pudding, oatmeal bread.
Don't miss out on government checks
Many people still have not filed the paperwork to receive federal economic stimulus checks worth as much as $600.
The only way to receive the money is to fill out the 1040A tax form for 2007, even if you do not normally complete a tax return.
Deadline for completing the form is Oct. 15, so there is still plenty of time. Low-income residents must show $3,000 in earned income last year, including Social Security retirement benefits.
People who need forms can contact Wendy at the Council on Aging, 978-374-2390, ext. 19.
Help is available from the IRS at 866-234-2942 or Massachusetts AARP at 866-448-3621
Senior supper at hospital
Merrimack Valley Hospital will host senior suppers on Tuesday, Sept. 16, with guest speaker Dr. Sunny Srivasatava and Thursday, Sept. 18, with guest speaker Dr. Seth Bilazarian. The topic both evenings will be "Your Heart Health." Registration is at 3:30 p.m. and dinner will be served at 4 p.m. Cost is $5 and includes a full dinner and dessert. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions and meet various members of the Merrimack Valley Hospital medical and administrative team. For information or to register, call Kathy at 978-521-8140.
Grant applications
Griffin-White Foundation is accepting applications for funding of nonprofit elderly programs. Please request applications from Griffin-White Foundation, P.O. Box 6116, Haverhill, MA 01831.
Caregivers Home accepts referrals
Caregivers Home, a program that provides community-based housing options for elders and disabled adults in need of daily care and assistance, is accepting referrals in Haverhill. The Caregivers Home program pays family or nonfamily caregivers to care for an elder or adult disabled family member (over the age of 16) at home. Caregivers are reimbursed $10,000 to $18,000 per year for home-based care. The program participant and caregiver must live together in either the caregiver's or the participant's home. Care can also be provided by a nonfamily caregiver who is carefully screened and credentialed by Caregivers Home. A registered nurse and a care manager oversee each case through regular home visits, telephone contact and a Web-based case record system. For more information about the Caregivers Home program or to see if your family qualifies, call registered nurse Linda Morreale-Steele at 857-891-7432 or visit www.caregiverhomes.com.
Chess, mah-jongg players sought
The Council on Aging is looking for chess and mah-jongg players who are interested in playing on Tuesdays. For information, contact Kathy Bresnahan or Rita LaBella at 978-374-2390.
Annual Riverwalk and Run planned
Annual Riverwalk and Run for Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley will be Sunday, Oct. 5. The five-mile walk and the six-kilometer run will begin at 10 a.m. in front of the Elder Services offices at 360 Merrimack St., Lawrence, and proceed on a scenic course along the Merrimack River. The race takes place rain or shine. The running event will award first-, second- and third-place medals in each of seven age categories for both men and women: 19 and under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69 and 70 and over. Walk awards will go to the oldest and youngest participants. Food, beverages, games, music, clowns, face painting, massages and a raffle. For more information, call Tony Palmisano at 978-946-1350 or e-mail tpalmisano@esmv.org.
Council on Aging trips and events
Golf clinics: Haverhill Recreation Department and the Council on Aging will continue their weekly golf clinic with Ted Murphy at 10 a.m. at Murphy's Garrison Par 3 Golf Center, 660 Hilldale Ave. Cost is $10 per week. No preregistration required. For more information, call Kathy or Rita at 978-374-2390.
Day trip to Newport, R.I., on Tuesday, Sept. 9. Upon arrival a local guide will provide a tour aboard a motorcoach, which will include Kennedy sites, the 10-mile ocean drive and the mansions. Following the bus tour, participants will enjoy a luncheon cruise aboard the Majestic. Discover the beauty of Narragansett Bay and the Newport waterfront with spectacular views from panoramic windows. This cruise includes a cruise narrator. A short time will be provided after the cruise to explore the shops along the wharfs of Newport Harbor. Following the cruise and shopping, participants will tour Marble House, the summer cottage of the Vanderbilts. Cost for this trip is $84 per person and includes bus transportation, harbor cruise and lunch, Marble House and shopping.
Trip to the Garde Arts Theatre and Mohegan Sun Casino on Thursday, Sept. 11. The Diamonds will perform their popular 1950s favorites in "Doo-Wopin' with the Diamonds." The show will include such hits as "Little Darlin,'" "The Stroll," "Silhouettes," "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" and "Church Bells May Ring." Motorcoach transportation will depart from Westgate Shopping Center at approximately 7 a.m. Seating will be assigned in order of payments received by Best of Times. Tickets are $67 and include the show and gambling package at Mohegan Sun.
Trip to Boston for a Duck Tour and lunch on Wednesday, Oct. 1. The bus will depart at 9 a.m. Upon arrival, participants will take a sightseeing tour of the Boston Common followed by lunch at Boston's famous "No Name" restaurant. A Boston Ducks vehicle tour will follow. A narrator will point out the Boston sights and the vehicle will go into the Charles River for a brief cruise. The bus will return to Haverhill at approximately 6 p.m. Cost is $65 per person and includes bus transportation, Duck Tour, Boston Common visit and lunch.
Canadian Rockies by Rail: A 10-day trip to British Columbia, Vancouver, Victoria, Rocky Mountaineer Train, Kamloops, Jasper, Columbia Icefields, Lake Louise, Banff, and Calgary from Oct. 6 through 15. Cost is $3,329 double occupancy; $4,129 single; and $3,270 triple. Upgrades are available.
Trip to the Currier Museum in Manchester, N.H., on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The Currier Museum has been closed for nearly two years for major renovations and construction, which have added 33,000 square feet to the museum. Cost is $30 per person for entrance to the museum, a guided tour and transportation. Lunch will be Dutch treat and on your own at the new Winter Garden cafe in the museum's center.
Trip to Lake George and Lake Placid in New York Oct. 15-18. Accommodations are at the Georgian on the lake. The trip includes three dinners (one dinner theater), three full breakfasts, sightseeing, luncheon cruise and dinner at the Saratoga Raceway clubhouse. All admissions and round-trip transportation are included. Cost is $495 per person double occupancy, $475 triple occupancy, $640 single occupancy. Deposit of $25 is due at signing. Balance is due by Sept. 15. A $30 waiver fee is available.
Oktoberfest at Venus de Milo in Swansea on Oct. 15, featuring Adam Barthalt and his award-winning polka band. Cost is $66 per person.
Baby Boomer adventure trip to Peru for nine days and seven nights will depart on Oct. 29. The return flight will be overnight on the eighth day. The trip includes round-trip air fare, 16 meals, Lima, Sacred Valley of the Incas, Gold Museum Cusco, Machu Piccu, Ollantaytambo, Peruvian horse demonstration, Pisac, dinner and folkloric show, Sacsayhuaman, and a private dinner party at one of Peru's most elegant homes. Cost for this trip is to be advised. Valid passport required.
Shopping/museum/golf trip to the White Mountain Hotel and Resort Nov. 2-3 with deluxe accommodations at the White Mountain Hotel and Resort, brunch, dinner, breakfast, transportation and one show. Use of all hotel amenities. Admission to the Wright Museum plus the Mount Washington Observatory Discovery Center and shopping at over 200 outlets. Golf can be arranged. Cost is $195 per person for double occupancy, $249 single and $185 triple. The bus will leave Haverhill at approximately 8 a.m. A $50 deposit is due by Sept. 1. Checks should be payable to White Mountain Hotel.
Billboard's Best: Hear the greatest hits from the 1950s on Nov. 10 at Lantana's in Randolph. Cost is $65 per person.
"The Holidays Meet Broadway in Song" show and lunch on Nov. 19 at DiBurro's, 887 Boston Road. Cost is $44 per person. Transportation not included.
Charlie Prose Holiday Show on Dec. 2 at the Garde Arts Center, New London, Conn., and gambling at Foxwoods. Casino package includes $10 for lunch at any Foxwoods restaurant or free all-you-can-eat buffet and $15 free Keno play. Cost is $85 per person.
Southern Caribbean cruise aboard the Norwegian Jewel from Nov. 28 through Dec. 7.
Boar's Head "Groaning Board" dinner with Christmas celebration on Dec. 3 and 4 at the Williams Inn, Williamstown. Cost of this trip is $270 per person double occupancy, $260 triple and $310 single.
Trip to the famous Holiday Pops with Keith Lockhart at Symphony Hall in Boston on Dec. 12 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $85 per person and must be purchased in advance.
"How the Grinch Stole Christmas" on Dec. 28 at the Wang Theatre at the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston. Cost is $80 per person.
New Year's Eve day party on Dec. 31 at the Danversport Yacht Club in Danvers. Lunch will be served at noon and a show will be at 2 p.m. Cost is $65 per person.
New Orleans and West Caribbean cruise from Jan. 16 through 25, 2009.
Boston to Bermuda cruise aboard the NCL Spirit May 1 through 8, 2009.
Baby Boomer adventure trip to California May 2 through 8, 2009, for a wine and rail discovery trip.
Baby Boomer adventure trip to France May 15 through 23, 2009.
Florida winter getaway from Feb. 20 through March 4, 2009.
Atlantic City/Tropicana Casino & Resort Feb. 23 and 24, 2009.
Sorrento, Italy, on March 22, 2009, for nine days/ seven nights, with visits to Amalfi Coast, Isle of Capri, Pompeii ruins, Naples, Royal Palace of Caserta.
Sedona Safari and the Grand Canyon on Sept. 9.
Trip to Ireland for nine days/seven nights on Nov. 5.
For more information about any of these trips, contact Kathy Bresnahan (ext. 11) or Rita (ext. 16) at Haverhill Council on Aging at 978-374-2390.
Ongoing
Creative Problem Solving through Journaling on Tuesdays from noon to 1:30 p.m. in Room 32 at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St. Cost is $20 for six weeks. For more information, call Kathy or Rita at 978-374-2390.
Drawing and painting classes with Cara Smoley. Classes are held every Wednesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., and are open to the public. Cost for the six-week series is $30. Participants must buy their own materials. New members need to bring three pencils, a kneaded eraser and a 9-by-10 Bristol Drawing Pad. Registration is required. To register, call 978-374-2390.
"Mr. Fix-it": A volunteer is available to come into the center on a monthly basis to fix small appliances and lamps, change watch batteries, etc., for seniors for a nominal fee. To sign up, call Kathy or Rita at 978-374-2390.
Bingo is played Mondays and Thursdays from 1 to 3 p.m.
Line dancing is Mondays and Wednesdays 9 to 11 a.m.
Bridge is played Wednesdays and Fridays 12 to 3 p.m.
Memoir writing is Wednesdays at 10 a.m.
Evening yoga classes every Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. at the Pentucket Bank Community Room, 35 Merrimack St. Cost is $5 per session. Parking is available in the parking deck. For more information, call Kathy or Rita at 978-374-2390.
Newcomers group for seniors who have recently moved to Haverhill meets the first Monday of each month at 10:30 a.m. in Room 22. If the first Monday is a holiday, coffee hour is held the second Monday. Longtime Haverhill seniors are also encouraged to participate. Refreshments will be served.
Vintage movies are shown Thursdays at 12:30 p.m. in Room 45.
Wood shop is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 to 11 a.m.
Knitting circle is Mondays at 10 a.m.
Tai chi classes are Thursdays at 9 a.m.
Walkers meet Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m.
A discussion group meets Mondays at 1:30 p.m.
Blood pressure clinics every Tuesday in the nurse's office from 8 a.m. to noon.
Chair massages offered free for Haverhill seniors the first Tuesday of the month by licensed massage therapist Susan L. Plouffe. For reservations, call 978-274-2390.
SHINE counselors are available to offer confidential health insurance counseling for elders and their family members at no cost. For appointments, contact SHINE counselor Pat Paradis on Tuesdays, 9 a.m. to noon at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St.
Free cellular phones are available for qualifying seniors. Phones are programmed to call 911 in an emergency. For details, call Joel at 978-374-2390.
Electric wheelchairs available at no cost to seniors and permanently disabled citizens through the Three Wishes Inc. program. The power wheelchairs are provided to those who cannot walk and cannot self-propel a manual wheelchair, and who meet guidelines. For information, call 800-823-5220 or www.threewishes2.com.
On-the-job training
The Senior Community Service Employment Program provides a paid, on-the-job training program that enables a participant to work 20 hours per week at a nonprofit organization or government agency training site in the community, and earn $7.50 per hour. The training site agrees to train the participant in a new skill that will enable him or her to pursue unsubsidized, full-time employment over time. For more information, call Ms. Jepson at Operation A.B.L.E., 888-470-2253, ext. 122.
Shredder available
The Haverhill Council on Aging and TRIAD have purchased a shredder for city seniors to use. The shredder will be available at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., Room 30, every Wednesday and Friday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Papers that should be shredded to reduce the risk of identity theft include charge slips and charge bills, bank statements, financial records and all papers that contain Social Security numbers and account numbers. There is no charge for this service. For information, call Joel at 978-374-2390, Wednesdays and Fridays, noon to 2:30 p.m.
Senior Staying Healthy schedule
Haverhill Council on Aging revised its Senior Staying Healthy program schedule. Blood pressure clinics will now be held every Tuesday in the nurse's office at the Citizens Center, 10 Welcome St., 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. This is a walk-in clinic and first come, first served. The food clinic will be the second Thursday of each month, by appointment only. The blood pressure and foot clinics are provided by Home Health VNA and HomeCare Inc. For additional information, call Kathy Bresnahan or Rita LaBella at 978-374-2390.
Reduced-price condos
Community Action Inc. has applications available for low- to moderate-income residents over the age of 55 to buy new condominiums for the reduced price of $209,100 and $220,913. The two-bedroom condominiums are part of The Fairways development located off Newton Road. The maximum allowed annual income for a single person is $54,700, two-person household is $62,600, three-person household is $70,400, four-person household is $78,200. Applications are available in the Community Action Office, 145 Essex St. For information, call Richard Lynch at 978-373-1971.
Volunteers
Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley needs volunteers to help with the distribution of food for the Brown-Bag Program on the first Tuesday of every month from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. Volunteer activities primarily center around the production line, packing bags with nonperishable items and meat products. The program operates out of the Pentucket Lake School at 252 Concord St. For more information, call Janice Boyd at 800-892-0890, ext. 1321.
