REAS Foundation (Residential Energy Assistance for Seniors Foundation)
Here is an article from today's Worcester Telegram and Gazette (written by Craig Semon), which highlights the efforts by Strubridge Citizens who have formed a group called the Residential Energy Assistance for Seniors (REAS) Foundation. We now have 15 individuals seated on the Board of Directors and will be making a more formal announcement within the next two weeks relative to goals and activities. Several of those Board members, along with myself, will assume the initial administrative responsibilites for day to day management of the program, as developed by the Board of Directors.
The members of this group - Ginger Peabody, Patrick Babcock, Jennifer Morrison, Stacy Courtney, Barbara Search, Rebecca Blanchard, Bill Muir, Jeff Bonja, Jeff Tasse, of Tasse Fuel Corporation, Attorney Jeff Chase, Paul Carr of the Sturbridge Times Magazine, Dennis McCurdy from McCurdy Insurance Agency, Detective Mark Saloio (representing the Sturbridge Police Patrolman’s Association), Jim Malloy, Kay Malloy, Scott Garieri and myself, are in the process of finalizing the particulars of the program with assistance from Southbridge Savings Bank.
Here then is the article from today's T&G:
______________________________________________________________
Elder fuel aid effort planned; Group's aim to help seniors
By Craig S. Semon TELEGRAM & GAZETTE STAFF
STURBRIDGE— When Mark Twain wrote “If you don’t like the weather in New England, just wait a few minutes,” he didn’t take two things into account — annual income of the elderly and rising heating fuel costs.
A group of residents have been working to correct Twain’s shortsightedness by developing an energy assistance program for elders in town who are having trouble making ends meet.
On Monday night, Selectman Scott A. Garieri said these Sturbridge residents, “acting solely as residents,” are in the planning stages of making “Residential Energy Assistance for Seniors” a reality.
“We know that this year the elderly are going to have a hard time with home heating fuel over $4 a gallon, probably approaching $5, maybe even more,” Mr. Garieri explained yesterday. “We don’t want them to be put in the position where they’re making the choice between heat and food or heat and medicine.” (The rest of this post can be read by accessing the READ MORE link below).
The group members are going through all the proper channels to make it a tax-exempt, nonprofit organization, he said.
“We’d like to see this fund reach in excess of $20,000,” Mr. Garieri said. “It’s going to be strictly for the elderly. It’s going to be done like a scholarship-type process. When someone needs money, it can be done very discreetly. We don’t anyone to feel that they have to come begging for money, because that’s not what we’re about.”
Mr. Garieri and Planning Board Chairman Thomas R. Creamer came up with the initial idea but everyone they have approached about involvement has signed on, Mr. Garieri said.
For him, Mr. Garieri said there were two catalysts for starting the program: being a member of the Southbridge Lions Club and seeing his own heating oil bill.
“Even though the Lions Club does a very admirable thing, they gave away over $8,000 this year last weekend (in academic scholarships). And, not that these kids are not deserving of these scholarships but they are on the beginning side of the earning curve,” Mr. Garieri said. “And, between my oil bill and seeing this money being given away, I’m thinking you have the elderly who are on the bottom side of the earning curve that maybe we need to be focusing more on them.”
Among the residents involved are Kay Malloy and Jeff Chase, who are working pro bono on the accounting and legal end of the program, respectively, while Patrick Babcock is working on establishing a Web site that will be able to take donations, Mr. Garieri said.
In addition, Residential Energy Assistance for Seniors will be working with oil companies, including Tasse Fuel Corporation, and the Sturbridge Police Patrolman’s Association and the Sturbridge Firefighters Association has signed on, Mr. Garieri said.
“We’re looking for ideas. We’re looking for people,” Mr. Garieri said. “We’re looking for creative ways of raising monies without necessarily just sitting there with our hands out.”
Next week, volunteers plan to brainstorm on ways to raise money, including setting up a series of fundraisers, and making the heating oil assistance program work. If you want more information, to volunteer or to donate, call or e-mail Mr. Garieri at (508) 450-8145 or sgarieri@aol.com.
“We’re going to solicit some of the corporations, although we hate to be going to them for another thing, but this is something that is definitely worthwhile. And, then we’ll probably try to get together with them and create some new, innovative ways of raising money,” Mr. Garieri said. “We’re also going to rely on the Council on Aging and people to keep their eyes and ears open. If they see a need, maybe there’s a way we can help out.”
Posts
