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Senior center to receive boost from Action

By Jonathan L'Ecuyer
Staff Writer
Published: August 26, 2008

ROCKPORT — Regardless of which building is selected by the town to house a senior center, the Rockport Council on Aging will receive some financial help towards establishing new center from Gloucester-based Action Inc.

Last week, Action's board of directors voted to support the Rockport Council on Aging's effort to secure a senior center. The vote gave Action Inc. Executive Director William Rochford the green light to plan a fundraiser for the council.

According to Council on Aging Director Diane Bertolino, Action is trying to raise $10,000 for Rockport's seniors.

"I am aware Action wants to raise some funding for us and I'm very happy and very excited about it," Bertolino said yesterday.

The nonprofit Action Inc.'s aim is to eliminate poverty throughout Cape Ann.

Rochford, with permission from former city manager Paul Talbot, led the charge to resurrect what had been a defunct Gloucester Council on Aging in 1969.

Rochford said meals and transportation programs are just a couple of the benefits made possible to seniors by their local councils on aging.

"Action saw the benefit of a strong Council on Aging, Rose Baker worked with me really up to the day she died, we put a lot of energy into that," Rochford said, yesterday. "There's so much that could be done in Rockport and so many elderly who could benefit from it."

According to Rockport's Council on Aging, the town boasts 1,977 seniors over the age of 62, representing roughly 27 percent of the total population. The Commonwealth recommends that each town have a center comprising six-square-feet per senior living in town. Under that measure, Rockport should have an 11,862-square-foot senior center — the current center, a moderately sized room in the High School Apartment complex, is only 832 square feet.

Rochford said the fundraiser will occur in the form of mail solicitation, with the proceeds going to Rockport's Council on Aging.

The town's Community Preservation Committee has repeatedly urged residents to vote in favor of granting $75,000 to Action, Inc. to use for its tenant-based, rental or mortgage assistance program in Rockport.

"We have wonderful support in Rockport, we always did and still do," Rochford said. "The Community Preservation Committee and the Board of Selectmen make a donation each year. We look at ourselves as Rockport's social service provider."

Rockport's Council on Aging has requested the Board of Selectmen's support in trying to acquire the Granite Savings Bank building for use as a senior center. However, selectmen have refused to put the question to voters, opting instead to approve a fall Town Meeting warrant seeking the town's permission to acquire the building for "general municipal purposes;" the Community House has been touted as an alternative to the seniors, who would share the building with other town groups.

Former selectman candidate and current Open Space and Recreation Planning Committee Chairman Christopher Lewis has said he will move to amend the bank building article at Town Meeting, Sept. 8, to change wording from "general municipal purposes" to use as a "senior center."

Jonathan L'Ecuyer can be reached at jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.

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