Town News and Events January 2010

To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! MAYOR’S CORNER MERIDEN Mayor's Column, We have rung in the New Year - 2010. Now, we have to get used to using the new date on our correspondence and checks. Hopefully, 2010 will be a year of positive happenings for our residents and our city. We certainly have been challenged by the economic downturn with job losses, home foreclosures, and stagnation in many sectors of our business community. There are some signs of a beginning recovery but most economists say it will be slow and uneven this year. We can look forward to continuing Meriden's forward progress on flood control, the downtown initiative, and the intermodal transportation hub. Partial has funding has been approved to continue planning efforts on these projects. We have also had encouraging discussions with a number of private developers who are interested in expanding development activity in Meriden. The city will aggressively work with these companies to encourage and assist their efforts. In January and February, there will be important informational meetings on Meriden's High Schools renovation projects. Please take the time to become familiar with the options that the city council will be voting on in February. Also, the 25th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. / Albert Owens Scholarship Breakfast will take place on Monday, January 18, 8 AM at Maloney High School. This is a great event for our community. Tickets are $10 and are available at the door. I wish all of you a New Year filled with peace, health, and fulfillment. Mike Rohde, Mayor MAYOR’S CORNER WALLINGFORD Dear Friends: A story is told about a college student who needed part-time employment while attending school. One company offered a stenographer’s position. He quickly accepted and then said he could start work the end of the next week. The employer agreed. On the appointed day, the young man arrived right on time. The employer was pleased with the young man’s enthusiasm and asked him why he needed the week’s delay. The student replied, “Well, I had to find a typewriter and learn how to use it.” The young man was Herbert Hoover, who reportedly stated later in life, “No difficult or simple job ever gets done until someone decides to do what it takes to get the job done. Unfortunately, too many people stand by ready to carry the stool when there is a piano to be moved.” Our new year represents the opportunity to perform tasks that must be accomplished. We can move our pianos by all working together. Have a wonderful new year. Sincerely, William W. Dickinson, Jr. Mayor MAX E. MURAVNICK MERIDEN SENIOR CITIZENS’ CENTER The Max E. Muravnick Meriden Senior Citizens’ Center is open to all Meriden residents age 55 and over. Membership is free of charge and new members may sign-up any weekday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. by presenting a driver’s license or other proof of age. New members receive an information package about senior services and a coupon entitling them to one complimentary lunch in our Senior Community Café. Sign-up today and find out about all that is offered for Meriden seniors at the Max E. Muravnick Senior Center! Art Horn will present another weather show at the Senior Center on Wednesday, January 13 at 10:30 AM to be held in the first floor meeting room. In “Weather Dominates our World” Art will explain how everything we do is affected by the weather. From the launching of the space shuttle, to fireworks on the 4th of July, to the weekend trip to the shore, to your grandchild’s outdoor wedding, weather conditions will make or break the event. Billions of dollars of products are shipped around the world yet storms can divert tankers and cargo ships causing delays or worse. The price of food is strongly affected by droughts, heat waves, floods and killing frost and freezes. There’s no doubt about it, weather dominates our world! Don’t miss this entertaining and educational show with many color slides. Refreshments will be served. The Senior Center is now recruiting students for a new Introduction to Computers Class to be offered soon in our Senior Computer Center. We have a new Microsoft Certified Teacher who has taught in a variety of community settings and is a well experienced and patient teacher. Learn Windows, Word, Email and other computer basics in this two day/four hour class. The cost is $15 per person and the classes will start as soon as we get enough people signed up. Please register in the front office or by calling us at (203) 237-0066. We extend our condolences to the family and friends of our longtime Art Teacher Bruce Raven who passed away on December 6. Bruce was an exceptional artist who taught seniors here for more than 30 years and he will be greatly missed. Classes will resume on January 4 at 9:00 AM with the capable Doe Bartlett as teacher. AARP members affiliated with the national Tax-Aide Program will again be offering free income tax assistance at the Senior Center starting on Wednesday, February 3. Trained volunteers will prepare your federal and state tax returns for 2009. Appointments can be made by calling 237-0066 beginning Monday, January 4. Meriden AARP Chapter #2954 will meet on the lower level of the Senior Center on January 13, 2010 at 12:30, general meeting at 1:30, and entertainment at 2:00. Ballroom dancers Valerie Bubon and Donald Antonio will present a dance program with highlights from the 1930’s to the present. It will be about a forty-five minute program. For members of our club, we will have a bargain table featuring costume jewelry. Any questions, call Betty Fisette at 203 238-4478. If you've gained a few "Holiday Pounds" or are just interested in learning more about healthy eating, plan to attend the Diet Watch Series sponsored by LaPlanche Clinic on Wednesdays in January and February from 10:00 - 10:45 outside of the Clinic. Classes will begin on January 13th. Come a little early to get weighed and then attend our class. To register, please call 203-237-0300. Special Mardi Gras entertainment with Bob Mel and Karen Wagner will be held on Wednesday, January 27 at 10:30 in Willene’s Place. The program is sponsored by Health Net and reservations for lunch following the show can be made by calling 203-235-8052. The menu will feature baked chicken with wild rice and vegetables. Our annual Valentine Dinner Dance will be held on Thursday, February 11 from 5:00 to 9:00 PM with the popular Vinnie Carr. Tickets will be on sale starting on January 21 at a cost of $6.00 for Meriden residents and $7.00 for out-of-town guests. Special thanks to all of the local businesses who donated prizes for our holiday luncheon on December 22 including Walgreen’s West Side, Valencia Liquor Store, Checkered Flag Auto, Brown Jug Liquor Store, Thompson’s Candy, Kaye’s Pharmacy, G.T. Tire Company, Marianna’s Bakery, Stop & Shop West Side, Stop & Shop East Side, Walgreen’s East Side, Sans-Souci Restaurant, Panera Bread and Jacoby’s Restaurant. Thank you all for your generous support and for your concern for Meriden’s seniors! Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year from the members and staff of the Max E. Muravnick Senior Citizens’ Center! John F. Hogarth Senior Center Director December 29, 2009 To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! WALLINGFORD SENIOR CENTER JANUARY 2010 EDITION DAILY ACTIVITIES FOR INDEPENDENCE PROGRAM Do you have a loved one in need of socialization and guidance throughout the day? The Daily Activities for Independence program is a small, structured, social-model day program designed for seniors age 60 and over. With additional support of this type seniors can be highly active and independent. Program is open Monday through Friday from 9:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. with transportation available for Wallingford residents. Contact Melinda Welch, DAI Coordinator at 203-265-7753 Ext. 205 or e-mail mwelch@wlfdseniorctr.com. WSC GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE Looking for a gift for your special senior? Consider purchasing a Wallingford Senior Center Gift Certificate for a family member or friend. Our gift certificates, which are available at the front desk, may be used toward senior center classes, trips, special events, and Lake View Café meals. WANT AN EMAIL ACCOUNT BUT DON’T HAVE A COMPUTER? Thursday, January 21, 2:00 – 4:00 PM Would you like to communicate with family and friends and share photos via email; go shopping online; or pre-register for that cruise you’re taking? Sign up now for our email workshop on January 21, where you can set up a free email account even if you don’t have your own computer. Once you have your account, you can communicate with the world from any computer with Internet access (including those in our computer lab and the public library). The fee for this workshop is $5.00. Class size is limited; sign up now! BEAT THE WINTER BLUES PARTY Friday, January 22, 1:00 PM Join us for musical entertainment featuring Karen Wagner and Bob Mel, dancing, refreshments, and fun on January 22, and beat those winter blues! Be sure to sign up by January 20, so that we may plan the refreshments accordingly. THE LATEST ADVANCES IN CANCER TREATMENT AND TESTING Wednesday, January 20, 10:30 AM The field of oncology is constantly evolving. Explore the newest treatments and diagnostic testing in this cancer care update. This program, sponsored by MidState Medical Center, will be presented by oncologist Gerard Fumo, MD. Please call 203 265-7753 to register to attend. ARE YOU IN THE FLOW? Friday, January 22, 10:00 AM We are all impacted positively or negatively by the spaces in which we live and work. Learn simple ways to diagnose and realign your home and/or office so you’ll be “in the flow”! This Feng Shui program will be presented by Krista Polinsky, Certified Feng Shui and Energy Medicine Practitioner. This program is sponsored by Regency House of Wallingford. Please call 203 265-7753 to register to attend. MEET & GREET OUR NEW SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT Thursday, January 21, 11:30 AM Wallingford Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Salvatore F. Menzo, will visit the Senior Center on January 21, at 11:30 AM, to introduce himself to our members, provide an update on our local school system, and answer your questions. Do join us! SOCIAL SINGLES Thursday, January 7, 6:00 – 8:00 PM Our monthly gathering of Social Singles (for singles aged 60 – 74) will be a Fun with Music Night. Join us for singing, dancing, karaoke and refreshments. Senior Center members are welcome to bring non-member friends. Social Singles meets at the senior center on the first Thursday of the month and plans additional activities such as movies, happy hours, dining and other social events. SOCIAL SINGLES VALENTINES PARTY Thursday, February 4, 6:00 – 9:00 PM Attention singles aged 55+! Tickets are on sale for a Valentine’s Day Party with DJ Todd from Jock in the Box featuring music of the 50’s and 60’s. Refreshments will include hors d’oeuvres, punch and dessert. Advance tickets are $10.00 ($12.00 at the door). Invite your single friends! For more information call Ruth at 203-269-5492. SOCIAL SERVICES IN ORDER TO SERVE YOU BETTER, PLEASE CALL TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE SOCIAL WORKER, EILEEN FLYNN, AT 265 7753. THANK YOU. FOOD PANTRIES IN WALLINGFORD Need a little help with your food bill? Listed below are the names, addresses, and times you can visit. •Angel Food Ministries: Get $75.00 worth of food for $30.00. See member interest table at the center, or call 203-284-8975 for additional information. •Master’s Manna: 46 North Plains Road (in back). ID required (Photo ID, Birth Certificate or medical card). Distribution times: Tuesday & Thursday, 9-12; Fridays, 4-8 p.m. •Good News Food Pantry: 46 John Street (Good News Church). Distribution time: Wednesday, 11:00 a. m. – 2:00 p.m. •Elderly Nutrition Meals: The Town of Wallingford is able to provide meals to seniors who meet the criteria. Please call 203-294-2060 for additional information. •Local churches: Call your church to find out if there is a food pantry available. LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP Friday, January 15, 10:15-11:15 a.m. The topic for January will be about Macular Degeneration. Michelle Tarantino, MPH, OTR/L, CLVT, Low Vision Therapist will provide information on this degenerative vision diagnosis. She will describe what it is, and how it affects vision. Please call to register at 203-265-7753. VETERANS SERVICES Tuesday, January 26, 1:00 – 3:00 pm George Messier, Veterans Services Officer for the Town of Wallingford, will be available to answer questions and assist with benefit information. An appointment is required. Please call 203-265-7753. MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM IMPORTANT CHANGES TO THE MEDICARE SAVINGS PROGRAM The Medicare Savings Program assists individuals who meet the income and asset guidelines to pay their Medicare Part B premium. Effective October l, 2009 income limits greatly increased and there is no longer an asset limit for any of the programs. This change is especially important since there will not be any COLA in Social Security for 2010. Many individuals who did not qualify for this program in the past can now qualify. The income guidelines are as follows: INCOME ASSETS Qualified Medicare Beneficiaries (QMB) Single $1,778.91 NO CAP Couple $2,393.55 NO CAP Specified Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Single $1,959.51 NO CAP Couple $2,636.55 NO CAP Additional Low Income Medicare Beneficiary (ALMB/QI) Single $2,091.67 NO CAP Couple $2,816.67 NO CAP If you fall within these guidelines, the State may be able to pay the Medicare Part B premium. Please call Eileen Flynn, Social Worker, at 203-265-7753 to schedule an appointment or to receive additional information. CT ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM 2009-2010 HEATING SEASON **IMPORTANT: Please note New Opportunities of Greater Meriden has 45 days from the date of application to send a letter of certification to the individual. Please keep this in mind when considering when to schedule your appointment. The Wallingford Senior Center is an intake site for Wallingford residents, age 60 and over. The program provides financial assistance to income-eligible households to pay for a portion of their heating costs. Applications for deliverable fuel (oil and kerosene only) began Tuesday, September 8 and are ongoing. First day for fuel deliveries which can be paid for by CEAP is November 1. Gas and electric customers can call beginning November 10 for an appointment. Income limits are presently $30,485 for a single person and $39,865 for a couple. Asset limits also apply. Applicants MUST bring (2) photocopies of the following checklist documents: · Most recent bank statement (all pages FRONT AND BACK) · Verification of Social Security check 2009, or Social Security “Your New Benefit Amount” letter for 2009. · Most recent checking, savings, CD, annuity, stock, bond documents. · 2009 year-to-date pension or annuity dividends and/or interest income. · Four most recent pay stubs, if employed. · Rental Income – rent stub or copy of check deposited into bank account. · Most recent heat utility bill. · Electric bill, if applicable. Applications are by appointment only. To schedule an appointment, call 203-265-7753. BENEFITS SCREENING Tuesday, January 19, 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon Do you often wonder if you might be eligible for any State or Federal programs? Benefits QuickLINK is a free and confidential program which can quickly screen for eligibility. Supporting Documents are not required, but please bring the following information with you to your appointment: 1. Monthly income (social security, pension, dividends and interest). 2. Monthly expenses (heating, fuel, gas, electricity, water, telephone, rent or mortgage payments and medical expenses not covered by health insurance). 3. Asset information (savings, estimated value of home and car, life insurance benefits). 4. A list of all current prescriptions. Registration required. Call 265 7753 now to schedule an appointment. FOOD STAMP PROGRAM (SNAP) The State Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly the Food Stamp Program) has changed its eligibility criteria effective July 1, 2009. Income limits have been increased and there is no asset limit when applying for this program. •Single Income: $1,669.00 month •Couple Income: $2,246.00 month For more information or to schedule an appointment to apply for this program, please call Eileen Flynn, Social Worker at 265 7753. HELP WITH SNOW REMOVAL Need assistance with snow removal? The YOUTH JOB BANK of Wallingford’s Youth & Social Services Department can help. They will find a student from Wallingford to shovel snow for a fee you negotiate directly with the student. You can call the JOB BANK to request assistance before it snows, this way a student will be assigned to assist you prior to a snowfall. Please call 203-294-2175 to request a student or to get additional information. VISIT our website at www.wlfdseniorctr.com! Peoples Press January 2010 South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department is its 102 year of service to the Village of South Meriden and the City of Meriden. In 2009 our department responded to 753 calls of service to the community. Approximately 61 % of the calls responded to were medicals and Motor Vehicle Accidents. The Department held elections in December below are the names and positions: Operations Division Keith Gordon: Chief of Operations Steve Legere: Deputy Chief Gary Manson: Captain Jeff Benson: Lieutenant Bill Barry: Lieutenant Administrative Positions George Wruck Recording Secretary Alan Dempsey Financial Secretary James Cournoyer Treasurer Apparatus Lieutenants Mike Benson Bruce Krause David Noyes Bret Siegel Trustee Sue. Bolenbaugh Now its time for a several safety tips for our neighbors. We hope you all have working smoke detectors in your home. Working Smoke detectors save lives. Please make sure that you changed your batteries in the detectors. The best time to remember to change the batteries is when day light saving time comes. When you change your clocks back or forth change the batteries for safety. Also if you do not have carbon monoxide (CO) detectors in your home please purchase them. CO is a colorless, odorless, highly poisonous gas that is produced by inefficient burning and incomplete combustion of fuel products in heating appliances, furnace, hot water heaters, and stoves. If you do not have efficient burning appliances in the home, over a period of time CO could be building up in the home which if unchecked could lead to medical conditions and even Death. Having your furnace cleaned and serviced each year will help keep the units running more efficiently. CO is the silent killer, please protect your family and yourself and purchase CO detectors for your home. CO is also produced by normal operation of your vehicles and comes out of the vehicles exhaust systems. Running your vehicle in the garage could cause CO to seep directly into the home. With winter upon us we are asking for your assistance with a little maintenance item. If you have a fire hydrant near the front of your property we need your help. When it snows it would be helpful; if you could clear the snow and ice away from the hydrant. In a fire emergency it is very important that we can hook our hoses to the hydrant as quickly as possible in case we need additional water to extinguish a fire. During and after snow storms we do try to get out and clear hydrants, but we do not always have time to get to them all. It would be very beneficial to all our neighbor to have clean and clear fire hydrants. If you can, please help us out with this maintenance item we would appreciate your assistance. With the snow storms we have already had in December we did notice a substantial amount of hydrants cleaned already when we did our rounds after the storms. ALL of the Cities Fire Fighters thank you for your HELP, by keeping the hydrants clear. Another health Tip. We urge all our residence to be careful during the winter months with shoveling snow. Take it easy do not over do it. Use a good shovel and do not over load it when you lift it. Also for those of you that have snow blowers please be extremely careful not to put your hands near the blades of the blower unit while it is running. You might say who would do that, but each year Meriden's emergency service responders respond to several of these calls each year and it isn't a pretty sight so please take precautions. If you can and have the time and the energy may be you can help a neighbor who is a little older or might be ill, give them a hand clearing away the snow from their walkways or driveway. It feels real good to be able to help them out during the winter months. Each year we lose friends and neighbors to heart attacks during the winter months from over exerting themselves shoveling snow. Important health tip. If you are under a doctor’s care and take certain medications keep a list of these medications handy just in case you have the need to call 911 for during a medical emergency. Also with this list you might want to give a little history of any medical conditions that you also might have. These are important things for emergency responders to have just in case you are unable to respond to our questions when we arrive at your home. A good place to keep this information is in an envelope on you refrigerator and note that it is Medical Info. Information about our application process: We are currently accepting applications for membership for individuals who live in Meriden over the age of 18 in good health and have a clean police records and can pass the application process. We are also accepting application for those individuals who might all ready be certified as a State of CT Firefighter/EMT and do not live in Meriden but are willing to fill night crew positions at our station. These individuals will need to meet our by-law requirements for drills, weekly night crew and duty crew assignments. We are one of the only Volunteer fire stations in the State that have sleep-in crews at our fire station we presently cover 6 out of 7 nights. Our nightly in-house status allows us to service our customers you our neighbors quicker. Being a volunteer fire fighter takes a lot of commitment and time. Our members and their families make a lot of personal sacrifices to belong to our department, but they get great satisfaction of being part of terrific tradition of saving lives and property. We train and work hard but we love serving and protecting our friends and neighbors. Applications can be picked up at our station at 31 Camp Street, South Meriden in the evenings. We are a DRUG FREE Department and we TEST all applicants. Chiefs Line 203-630-4499 Keep Safe, Stay Healthy and Happy New Year Chief Keith Gordon, South Meriden Volunteer Fire Department To read The People’s Press, Meriden and Wallingford Ct’s Newspaper in image or pdf form go to www.peoplespressnews.com . We are your NewsMagazine! ___________________________