More October News...

2008 Topsfield Fair
Topsfield Fair– Senior Citizen Day is Monday, Oct. 6, admission is $7.00 (that day only). We will be providing transportation to the fair for those interested (limited to the first 12). Sign up in advance at the front desk or by calling 978-762-0208. Bus will depart from the senior center at 11:15 AM with a return pick up at 2:30 PM.

DCOA Raffle The Quilting Angels of the DCOA led by Marsha Gadzera have recently made a beautiful full/queen quilt to be raffled to benefit the Friends of the Danvers council on Aging. Raffle tickets will be available June—October 9th. Tickets are $2.00 each or 3 for $5.00. Stop by the senior center to view the quilt and to purchase your raffle tickets. Winner will be drawn on Thursday, October 9th during the town-wide Open House.

Annual Town-Wide Open House
Please join us on Thursday October 16th from 4-7 PM during our Town Wide Annual
Open House. This year we will be holding a health/information fair. Representatives
will be here from Heritage at Danvers, North Shore Community Action, Beverly Hospital, Danvers YMCA, Comeau Health Care, Harborside Health, there will also be blood pressure testing by the Danvers Public Health Nurse as well as The National Kidney Foundation offering kidney testing (registration required in advance for kidney testing), chair massage, reflexology, Reiki and much more. Make sure you hop aboard the trolley and visit the Library, Electric, Town Hall, Police and Fire Stations as well. It’s a great night for the whole family!

4th Annual Harvest Ball - Thursday, October 23rd, 4pm—7pm
Lemon rosemary cesar salad, fresh bakery rolls & butter, carved turkey, homemade gravy, mashed potato, butternut squash, and apple crisp. Entertainment provided by Alan LaBella. Tickets will be $10 each and will go on sale, Wednesday, October 1st.

BINGO
BINGO has begun!!! Please come and join us for Bingo on Fridays from 10:30am—12pm. All are welcome, transportation is available. Call to sign up if you would like to stay for lunch at
978-762-0208.

FLU CLINICS
The first Flu Clinic is scheduled to be held on Friday, October 24th from 1-4 PM at North Shore Community College at the Health Science Building. A transportation shuttle will be available
from the senior center. Additional dates at Danvers Senior Center, Thursday, November
13th and Friday, November 14th, 1-4pm. More information to follow.

Holiday Fair
Be a part of the planning! If you are interested in helping out with our Annual Holiday Fair,
come to our first meeting on Friday, October 10th at 10 AM. The fair is scheduled for Saturday,
November 22nd. Donations may be dropped off at the center between 10/27& 11/14.

Winning Artist!
We are proud to report Barbara Dube recently entered some of her artwork in the Rochester,
NH Country Fair. Barbara had 2 paintings win. She came in 2nd & 3rd in the Watercolor category. Barbara has taken art classes for several years at the senior center. Stop by to see Barbara’s“ award winning” paintings as well as paintings done by our other art students.

IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO FILE FOR STIMULUS PAYMENTS!
Are you one of the many people who normally do not have to file federal income taxes because your income is quite low? This year it’s different. To receive an Economic Stimulus Payment (up to $300 single, $600 if filing jointly), you should file Form 1040A with the IRS by October 15, 2008. This includes people who receive at least $3,000 in earnings and/or benefits from Social Security, VA disability or a Retired Railroad Worker’s pension. People receiving only Supplemental Security Income are NOT eligible. Required forms are available at the Senior Center.

VOLUNTEER’S NEEDED!
The National Kidney Foundation in partnership with Beverly Hospital will conduct a free health screening for people at increased risk for kidney disease on Thursday, October 16, 2008 at The Danvers Senior Center, 25 Stone Street, Danvers, from 3:00pm to 7:00pm. The screening is part of the National Kidney Foundation’s Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) designed to identify and educate people at risk – those with diabetes, high blood pressure or a family history of kidney disease. We are looking for volunteer’s who are interested in assisting with the registration process. Those interested would be asked to participate in a short training at Beverly hospital at Danvers on Thursday October 2nd from 5:00pm-6:30pm. Please contact Cathy at (978)762-0208 if interested.

Holiday Fair—Saturday November 22nd
Danvers Senior Center will gladly accept donations of “gift baskets” for sale at our annual holiday fair. Proceeds from the fair assist us in providing services and programming
throughout the year. Your generous support is greatly appreciated.

HELP IS AVAILABLE TO BEAT HIGH COST OF FOOD
If you are a low-income senior (age 60 or over), you may now qualify for food assistance
through the Food Stamp Program, even if you own a home or a car, or have savings. Thanks to new changes to the Food Stamp Program, assets are no longer considered for a senior living alone whose monthly gross income is under $1,734. If there are two people in the home, the total monthly gross income must be below $2,334. Seniors whose incomes fall above the guidelines may still be eligible, but their assets will be counted. Take advantage of this benefit and new simplified application process. Applications and assistance are available at the Senior Center. Call (978) 762-0208 and ask for Sharon.

State Launches New Reverse Mortgage Web Site
State Launches New Reverse Mortgage Web Site for Seniors With the popularity of reverse mortgage loans on the rise among Massachusetts Senior Citizens, the Office of Consumer Affairs and business Regulation (OCABR) and the Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) today launched a new web site, to provide information and guidance to borrowers about these types of products.

ELECTION DAY TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2008
The Danvers Council on Aging will once again be running a shuttle from the senior center up to the Danvers High School to assist residents in getting to the polls. Leave the driving to us! If you would like a ride right to the door of the Danvers High School, stop by the senior center between 9 AM and 3 PM. If you need transportation to the senior center first,
please call 978 762-0208 a day or two in advance and we will be happy to accommodate you. Our vans are wheelchair lift accessible.

Schedule of Classes
Click here for a listing of classes scheduled for the coming year. Please remember to sign up early as classes do fill up quick.

“TIPS FROM YOUR TRIAD” Is Your Free Annual Credit Report Really “Free”?
The Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation reminds consumers that they are entitled to one free credit report every 12 months from each of the three national consumer reporting companies—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

It is important to check your credit report regularly for accuracy and signs of fraudulent activity—especially with the increase in identity theft. You can receive a free credit report by phone, mail, or by visiting https://www.annualcreditreport.com. Beware of other web sites or unsolicited e-mails offering free credit reports. These sites that are not affiliated with the government-mandated free credit report program may claim to offer "free" credit reports, however the reports are tied to the purchase of other products.

If you would like to order a free credit report, follow these important steps:
• Steer clear of sites that promise free credit reports and then ask for your credit card information.
• Do not respond to e-mails, pop-up ads, or phone calls that claim to come from www.annualcreditreport.com or one of the credit reporting agencies. These may be scams seeking your personal information.
• Remember, there is only one official free credit report web site. Access it by visiting the Federal Trade Commission’s site at www.ftc.gov. or directly at www.annualcreditreport.com.
• If you are uncomfortable with Internet security you can order your credit reports by phone or mail. For a copy of your credit report from the major credit bureaus, contact: Equifax - 1-800-685-1111, Experian - 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742), TransUnion - 1-800-888- 4213.

Sign up for your new Senior or T.A.P. Charlie Card.
MBTA staff will be on hand at the Danvers Council on Aging on Friday, December 5, 2008 from 1pm—4pm to issue MBTA Senior and Transportation Access Pass (T.A.P.) CharlieCards. Staff will also be available at this time to answer any questions regarding the
MBTA’s automated fare collection system. New Senior CharlieCard ID’s will be processed for customers exchanging their old Senior ID’s (issued before May 2005) and to first-time Senior customers (65+ with proof of age). The new Senior CharlieCard will arrive by mail. Applications for the MBTA Transportation Access Pass (T.A.P.) CharlieCard, issued to persons with a qualifying disability, will also be available. Contact: 617-222- 5438 (voice), 1-800-543-8287 (voice), 617-222-5854 (TTY) with questions.

Podiatrist, Dr. Wayne McCullough, is available at the Senior Center
from 10am—2pm on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month. The fee is $25 per visit unless you have a diagnosis that allows your insurance to cover routine foot care. Appointments are required. Please call the Senior Center at 978-762-0208 to book an appointment.

Food Stamps
You may be eligible to receive Food Stamps! Food Stamp Applications are available at the front desk. You can also go to www.mass.gov/dta. If you have any questions filling out the application, please call Sharon at 978-762- 0208, Mon & Wed from 8:30am—2:30pm.

Lifetime Enrichment Award
Any Danvers senior, age 60 and older, interested in exploring new horizons, is encouraged to apply. for the Lifetime Enrichment Award (formerly Senior Scholar Award Program)
Financial need is not part of the criteria.