FRAMINGHAM, MA -- Callahan December 2008 Newsletter:

NEEDED: Data Entry Volunteer - The Callahan Center is looking for a Volunteer who is computer-literate in Word & Excel to input data. Four-hour shifts available. Please call Lorraine Fournier at 508-532-5980, ext. 4102 to apply.

WANTED: Manager for Heritage Gallery - Looking for someone to manage small consignment gift shop at the Callahan Center. Candidate must have retail experience, must be computer-literate, and be able to train volunteer sales staff.
Small monthly stipend. Store hours are Wednesday-Friday from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Our intention is to be open Monday through Friday, but the new manager does not have to be on-site every day. For more information, please call Cheryl Lobdell at 508-532-5982.

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.

Beat the Holiday Blues! A free two-part discussion group on how to deal with the holiday blues is scheduled for Monday, December 15th, 2008 at 10:00 am and January 12th, 2009 at 10:00 am. Lisa Ushkurnis, Callahan’s Clinical Social Worker, will facilitate the seminar, which is aimed at looking at the HIGH’s and LOW’s associated with the holiday season. Part one will explore how to name and manage holiday stress and develop effective coping strategies. Part two, we will discuss how you got through the holiday season. Light refreshments will be served. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to sign up no later than Thursday, December 11, 2008.

“Finding Relief for Pain after Shingles” - On Tuesday, December 9th at 1:00 pm Jodi Mahan, LPN and Irene Jones, RN will offer help with pain after shingles. This program provides adults who may be suffering from post-shingles pain and their family members with information about shingles and shingles-related pain. Importantly, it also provides information on treatments that can help provide relief for post-shingles pain. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 by Monday, December 8 to reserve a seat.

Risk Factors for Diabetes and High Blood Pressure - Please join us on Wednesday, December 10th for a discussion with Sue Kutenplon, RN, Med, CDE, on the risk factors for diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as the links between them. This discussion will be at 10 am and repeated at 2 pm. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to sign up for this informative discussion.

Support Groups at Callahan Senior Center - Bereavement Support Group: Mondays, December 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 at 10:00 am.
‘Better Breathers’ Support Group: Wednesday, December 10 at 12:00 noon. Caregivers’ Support Group: Tuesday, December 9 at 10:30 am. Diabetes Support Group: Tuesday, December 30 at 10:00 am. Grandparent Support Group: Wednesday, December 3 at 7:00 pm. Please always call the Center to confirm in case the date changes. Low Vision Group: Friday, December 19 at 1:00 pm. Massage Therapy: Thursday, December 4, by appt. only. Parkinson’s Support Group: Tuesday, December 16 at 1:30 pm. Podiatry: Wed., December 10 with Dr. John 12:30 - 4:00 pm. Dr. Lukoff will not be here this month due to the holidays. Stroke Survivors’ Support Group: Monday, December 1 at 1:00 pm.

BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC FOR NOVEMBER - Wednesdays, December 3, 10, 17 & 31 from 9:00—12:30 pm.
No blood pressure clinic on December 24th.

The Brophy Elementary School third grade students will be our guests on Thursday, December 18th from 10:45 am until 12:15 pm 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, ext. 4113 to register.

Come and make something special for the coming holidays! The Framingham Garden Club will be at the Callahan Center on Monday, December 8, 2008 at 10:00 am to assist with something festive for the December holidays! (Please sign up by Wednesday, December 3rd. No walk-ins.) Seating is limited to 15. Donation required is $5.00 per class, to cover some of the cost of materials. Please bring your own scissors.

Kate McSweeney Homeless Fund - The Callahan Center, with the help of the McCarthy School, has been collecting pennies for the Kate McSweeney Homeless Fund. We have donated thousands of dollars from the pennies collected, and we will continue to donate them to the local area shelters. Please join Evelyn Langley, Project Coordinator, and the teachers and 3rd grade students from McCarthy School for this presentation of funds to the local area shelters on Friday, December 12th at 2 pm. Again, we thank all of you who have donated your pennies to this worthy cause.

Holiday Cookie Exchange on Friday, December 19th at 10:00 am Callahan Center - Interested in having extra treats around for the holidays? Pat Paganella, a member of the Council on Aging, will once again organize the Holiday Cookie Exchange. Pat asks that you bring ONLY 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. Please bring containers for the holiday treats you are taking home!

Marty Griffin is leaving us! And to wish her well, we would like to invite you to a special event in her honor: “Morning Muffins and Coffee” Please drop in on Friday, December 5th, 2008 from 10:00 am until 12:00 noon. Come and help us give Marty a special send-off!!

Holiday “Open House” at Callahan - We would like to invite you to a Holiday ‘Open House’ on Monday, December 15th from 1-3 pm. The Heritage Gallery will have a table with holiday items and refreshments will be served. We ask that you please call the Callahan Center to sign up at 508-532-5980, no later than Wednesday, December 10th.

“Framingham Reads Together” Program - Framingham is planning it’s first-ever ‘Framingham Reads Together’ program for winter 2009. The book is Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace...One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. Please join us at the Callahan Center for our first of three discussion groups on January 6th at 10 am. This will be an introduction to the program or as we like to call it, “our first cup of tea”. For more information on Framingham Reads together, please go to the Framingham Public Library or their web site http://www.framinghamlibrary.org.  Please call the Center to sign up for this discussion group at 508-532-5980.

Callahan Center in Partnership with Framingham State College Lifelong Learners - Presents “Films and Recordings of a Mardi Gras Celebration” Thursday, February 19th, 2009 10:00 am at Callahan Center. $7.00 Donation required. (Please sign up by Friday, November 7th.) Musician John Clark will present a lecture/discussion accompanied by films and recordings showing different elements of New Orleans Jazz and musical culture. Included in the presentation will be films of Preservation Hall, a traditional jazz funeral, and well-know examples of the style as they appeared in Hollywood films, television broadcasts, and documentaries. Please call the Center at 508-532-5980 to sign up for the above program. Payment for courses with a fee charge, must be paid in advance at time of registration. No refunds.

WANTED: Contract Bridge Players - A fun group of contract Bridge players meet each Tuesday, year-round. Check-in time is 8:45 am. We play from 9:00 am to 11:30 am. Come alone or bring a friend!

Are you aware of the following programs to assist seniors? Framingham Water & Sewer Commission FY09 Senior Discount 2009 Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Numerous clauses under Massachusetts Law to qualify for Property Tax Assistance Circuit Breaker. Are you having a hard time making ends meet? Food Stamps can help! If you qualify, food stamps are available through the Project Bread FoodSource Hotline. Are you aware of the Homestead Act, the Senior Property Tax Work-off Program and the Minor Home Repair Program? Please call the Social Services Department at the Callahan Center to set up an appointment at 508-532-5980.

Heritage Gallery is bursting at the seams with beautiful linen handkerchiefs with lace, lace doilies, an excellent selection of mens’ cuff links and tie pins, spectacular jewelry including earrings, necklaces, pins and bracelets! We have interesting paintings and frames of all sizes, hand-knitted baby sweaters and knick-knacks for stocking stuffers. The Heritage Gallery offers a lay-away plan where you can pay weekly or monthly. We are open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 10:00 am until 2:15 pm. We are located at the Callahan Center, 535 Union Avenue, Framingham. Come in and browse - you won’t be disappointed!

Need Help Understanding 2009 Medicare Plans? We are in the middle of the Medicare Annual Open Enrollment period, which lasts until December 31. During this time, all Medicare beneficiaries can change their Medicare health coverage as well as their Medicare Prescription Drug Plans (Part D Plans). Check that your drugs will continue to be covered by your drug plan and how much they will cost you (your co-payments) in 2009. Most plans have increased monthly premiums, but a number of plans have significantly increased co-payments. Although you have until December 31 to make changes, we recommend making any changes as early as possible, so you will have paperwork from your new plan showing you are covered on January 1, 2009. The good news is that help is available: Call your local Senior Center (Council on Aging) and ask for a SHINE appointment. Specially trained SHINE volunteers offer free, confidential counseling to seniors and anyone on Medicare. If there are no more SHINE appointments available at your Senior Center when you call, there are additional counseling appointments in December at the Callahan Center in Framingham (535 Union Avenue) on Monday mornings. Call (508) 532-5980, ext 4120, for a SHINE appointment there. APPOINTMENTS ARE REQUIRED! You can also reach a SHINE counselor by telephone. Call 1-800-AGE-INFO (1-800-243-4636), and then press or say “3”. Once you get the SHINE answering machine, leave your name and phone number. A SHINE 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 a couple of days. You can also call Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), or consult www.medicare.gov, or call MassMedLine at (866) 633-1617.

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