Some facts about our senior citizens:

They comprise 18.9% of the population of Holliston

They comprise 29.4% of Holliston’s registered voters

They live in 47.4% of Holliston’s households

Approximately 3% of Holliston’s annual budget is devoted to senior activity

 

 

The Holliston Council on Aging was established by vote of the town in the late 1980s when the town purchased 150 Goulding Street. This facility was given to the COA Board for use by elders in the community. Over the years, the Center has grown; over the last four years, the Center has seen a growth of over 400%. The Center now serves over 1000 unduplicated seniors (unduplicated means that each senior is only counted once even if they use the Center more than once) and, as of 2009’s report, 11000 duplicated seniors used the Center over the course of one year. Furthermore, the Center has over 250 volunteers which consisted of over 18000 hours of volunteer time (including everything from the Fall Fair and daily receptionists to the lunch program).*

 

The SeniorCenter staff consists of a Director, an Outreach Coordinator, an Office Manager and two Van Drivers, each with impressive job descriptions. The staff works for the Town of Holliston and reports to the Town Administrator and the Board of Selectmen. However its day-to-day work is guided by a thirteen-member Board of Directors known as the Council on Aging (COA). All program and budget discussions need approval by the COA.

 

The programs are varied and extensive, running the spectrum from medical screening through fund raising to just plain fun. Holliston’s seniors are not sitting on their laurels but putting their talents and energies into providing for their individual care and the benefit of others. Each bi-monthly newsletter is chock full of eight pages, small print, of senior activity available by mail or email. Holliston residents are encouraged to visit the Center to see the facilities and programs.

Reading an issue of the newsletter first hand will give you a great overview of what Holliston has to offer for senior citizens. On line use the Town of Holliston website>Town Departments>Senior Center>Newsletter. It is worth a visit.

 

(*Some of this information was acquired from the Annual COA Board Meeting in June.)