What's Happening at the Callahan in December

FRAMINGHAM, MA --December Programs at the Callahan Center

Wednesday, December 6th at 10:00 am - The MetroWest Medical Center is presenting a program on “Cancer Prevention” at the Callahan Center from 10:00 - 11:00 am. This program will address avoiding the sun, eating habits and cancer screenings. Please call the Center to reserve a seat at 508-532-5980.

Thursday, December 7th at 11:30 am - Please join us for refreshments and a holiday concert with Ilse Agte, pianist, and Professor Marc Widershien, violinist. Please call the Callahan Center at 508-532-5980 to register for this special holiday event.

The Friends of Callahan Holiday Party - The next Friends’ General Meeting will be on Monday, December 11, 2006 at 1:30 pm. Entertainment provided by the Callahan Choral Group. Refreshments will be served. Come and bring a friend!

Monday, December 11, 2006 at 9:30 am Framingham Garden Club meets with the Botannical Group - Looking to make a special arrangement for the holidays? Call the Callahan Center at 508-532-5980 and sign up to make yours! A $3.00 donation is requested to cover the cost of the materials. The Garden Club cannot accept walk-ins, so please reserve your materials ahead of time!

Thursday, December 14th at 10:00 am - The Registry of Motor Vehicles will be presenting an hour-long program on elder driving safety. This presentation will include information on warning signs of unsafe driving and provide safety tips, how to obtain a disability place or placecard, etc. Please call the Center to reserve a seat at 508-532-5980.

Friday, December 8th at 2:45 pm - On Friday, December 8th, students from the McCarthy School will be at the Callahan Center to help disburse the pennies they helped collect for the Kate McSweeney Homeless Fund. Ray Shorey, carries the pennies to the bank to be counted. Many community-minded citizens have responded to our Fund. Three Shelters, Pathways, Turning Point and Sage House and four non-profit organizations including WIC, Smiles, Headstart and S.M.O.C. Daycare will be the recipients. The Staff at McCarthy worked hard on this worthy project. Come join us and meet the students, teachers and recipients. All are welcome to attend.

Holiday Cookie Exchange Wednesday, December 20th a 10:00 am - Interested in having extra treats around for the holidays? Pat Paganella will once again organize the Holiday Cookie Exchange. Pat asks that you bring two dozen cookies, squares or fudge. You will go home with two dozen of the best goodies in town! No cakes, please! Please do not bring chocolate chip cookies and if your recipe contains nuts please bring a small card noting that. If you would like to share your recipe, please bring it and we will make copies for the table. If you would like to participate in the Cookie Exchange, please call the Center at 508-532-5980 and leave your name, telephone number and the kind of cookies you will bring.

Holiday Craft Fair - December 20th from 10 am - 12:00 noon - Our Latino Seniors have been working on a number of handmade items for this craft fair, so please stop by and pick up some holiday gifts at great prices!

Brophy/Callahan Program - The Brophy School students will be our guests on Thursday, December 21st at l0:45 am for a morning of magic, a craft project, and pizza for all. George McElhiney, our resident magician, will entertain us with his magic tricks and his humor. Please join the children for a highly-spirited intergenerational program. If you wish to participate, please call Ann Steacie at 508-532-5980, extension 4ll3.

HOLIDAY RAFFLE !!!! Do you know a youngster who would enjoy
this huggable, 36 inches, “Raggedy Ann” doll? Stop by the front desk at
the Callahan Center and try your luck! Raffle tickets are 1 for $2.00 or
3 for $5.00. All proceeds will go the Friends of Callahan Building Fund.
(Doll handmade and donated by Kay Leeland.)
Support Groups at Callahan Senior Center

Bereavement Support Group: Mondays, December 4, 11 & 18 at 10:00 am. Grandparent Support Group: Please call Center for date and time. Low Vision Group: Friday, December 15 at 1:00 - 3:00 pm. Massage Therapy: Thursday, December 7 (by appt. only). Parkinson’s Support Group: Tuesday, December 19 at 1:30 pm. Podiatry: Thursday, December 14 from 12:30 pm to 4:15 pm, by appt. only. Restricted to Framingham residents only. Stroke Survivors’ Support Group: Monday, December 4 at 1:00 pm. The Diabetic Support Group is discontinued until further notice. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 and leave your name and telephone number if you are interested in a Diabetic Support Group at the Callahan Center.

CARDIOVASCULAR CLINIC IN DECEMBER - The Cardiovascular Clinic will be on Tuesday, December 5th at 10:00 AM until 11:30 AM. A doctor from the MetroWest Medical Center and nurse Kitty Mahoney from the Framingham Board of Health will be at the Senior Center to check your blood pressure, answer any questions and address individual concerns. For further information, please contact Kitty Mahoney at 508-532-5472.

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC AT CALLAHAN CENTER - Wednesdays, December 6,13, 20 & 27 from 9:30—11am & 12—1 pm.

Town of Framingham & Callahan Center Snowstorm Policy Notice - If the schools close due to snowstorms or other inclement weather days, there will be no activities at the Center. On these days, the Town of Framingham Staff will be available to you at the Center, unless the Town of Framingham declares an emergency closing.

Remembering our Men & Women in Our Armed Forces - The Callahan Center, again this year, would like to send a generous contribution to the USO to purchase phone cards for our men and women in the armed forces. Many of them would not be able to call their loved ones this holiday season without our help. If you would like to contribute to this worthy cause, please stop by the Center and leave your donation with the front desk or mail a check to the Center, noting it is for the USO, no later than Wednesday, December 6th. Thank you, in advance, for your help!
Heritage Gallery and bring your Holiday Gift List! - You will be surprised at what you will find - gifts for all members of the family and friends at reasonable prices. We have a lay-a-way plan if you wish to use it. Open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am to 2:15 pm. Looking forward to seeing you!

Do you enjoy being creative? Interested in joining a craft group? The Latino Group at the Callahan Center is pleased to invite you to participate in a craft’s class. The group meets every Friday morning from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm and welcomes all who would like to join this fun program.

Writing Workshop - Professor Marc Widershien will be starting another Writing Workshop at the Callahan Center in early 2007. If you are interested in leaving a special memory for your children and grandchildren, come and learn how to get it started. To sign up please call the Callahan Center at 508-532-5980. This is a free workshop.

Interested in Playing Pinochle? We are looking for additional players, novice or advanced! Instruction available. Pinochle starts at 9:30 am on Tuesday mornings at the Callahan Center. This is an entertaining and stimulating pastime which is similar to bridge but can be much more challenging. For further information, please call the Center at 508-532-5980.

Changes are Coming! All Medicare prescription drug plans, Part D plans, are changing their coverage and premiums in 2007. You should have received a letter from your plan explaining the details. Even if you were happy with your Part D coverage in 2006, you need to look at how your plan will be changing. The plan you have now may not be the best plan for you in 2007. You can only change your prescription coverage from November 15 to December 31, during Medicare’s “Annual Coordinated Open Enrollment Period.”
Medicare Advantage plans are also changing in 2007. If you are a member of Harvard Pilgrim you should have received a packet explaining that they are dropping their Medicare HMO plan and offering a new plan called First Seniority Freedom, a Private Fee for Service plan. If you are a member of Harvard Pilgrim Vanguard, you should also have received information about your options for next year. Other plans will be making changes, too. From November 15 to December 31 is the only time you can switch, into, out of, and between Medicare Advantage plans and traditional Medicare. (If you have your coverage through a current or former employer, this timetable may not apply to you.)

How do you decide if you want to change? First, carefully read and save any information you receive from your current plans regarding changes they are making in 2007. Then, review your options. A good place to do that is on the www.medicare.gov website. There you will find information on all the plans available in your area.

This is the time for you to take a good look at the 2007 plans and make an informed decision. Although you have until December 31, we recommend enrolling as early as possible (ideally by December 15), so that there will be plenty of time to get covered in your new plan by January 1, 2007.

The good news is that help is available for you at your local Senior Center (Council on Aging). Call your center and ask for a SHINE appointment. Specially trained SHINE volunteers offer free, confidential counseling to seniors and anyone on Medicare, covering all aspects of health insurance. You can also reach a SHINE counselor by telephone. Call 1-800-AGE-INFO. Once you get the SHINE answering machine, leave your name and number. A volunteer will call you back, as soon as possible. Please be patient. Due to the large volume of calls, you may not hear from us for several days.