2026-09-23 - Council On Aging

00:00the

00:02a senior citizens day.

00:04Uh back in August, which this event was

00:08free to the seniors. Everybody was

00:10welcome, so that was just a total cost

00:13to the senior center.

00:15And then for

00:17our outings or other events that require

00:19registration, our separate club, Nash

00:21Casino and Castle Island, uh these are

00:23the amounts that we collected uh for

00:25registration at the beginning of the

00:27month.

00:31>> This is great. This is a great breakdown

00:33of everything. I'm very impressed.

00:37>> Thank you.

00:38>> Very, very impressed.

00:40Um

00:43I'm going to I'm not going to talk for

00:45speak for PM, but PM, this is basically

00:47what we have been looking for.

00:49And it's taken

00:52a long time, and we just want to say

00:54thank you very much. This is great.

00:56>> Of course, thank you.

00:57>> This is

00:57>> If there's anything else that you guys

00:59look at it and see if anything that you

01:01guys want added, just let me know.

01:03>> No, this is so helpful, Janette. As you

01:06know, Diana and I mentioned it also

01:08helps with us working with the friends

01:10on fundraising to see, you know, what

01:13events are coming up, how much they

01:15cost, what's needed. So, um I'm sure

01:18George will appreciate this, too.

01:20>> Yep.

01:22Um and going forward, um once we're able

01:24to price out some of our asks or some of

01:27the things that we're looking for, I

01:29will also include it in this report, but

01:31there just wasn't enough time for this

01:33report.

01:34>> This is great. Does anybody have any

01:37questions?

01:43No?

01:45Okay. Uh Mary?

01:48>> Mary?

01:48>> Uh um on the um line where it's events,

01:52and then it then it says center cost, is

01:54that the tally

01:56the 2,000

01:58410 and 894 cents. Is that the tally?

02:02What What is the center cost?

02:05>> So, that's So, because we didn't charge

02:08a fee for that event, all of the costs

02:11came out of the senior center. So, the

02:14shirts, the food, uh entertainment, the

02:17entire cost of the event, that is what

02:19it cost for the center.

02:21>> Okay, thank you.

02:23>> Mhm.

02:24>> Anybody else have any other questions?

02:30No? Okay.

02:32>> All right. I'm going to stop sharing my

02:33screen, and Pam, I will send this over

02:35to you.

02:37>> Thank you very much.

02:39>> Mhm.

02:41>> All right. So, next is on our agenda is

02:44Friends of the Council on Aging, which

02:46would be Judge Hobby.

02:48>> Oh, good morning.

02:49Welcome back, everyone.

02:52So,

02:53the friends have stayed active through

02:55the summer.

02:56I had I you know, met with Janay

02:59and Tanya.

03:01The only time I hadn't was uh this month

03:03because I've been

03:04busy with a move from one unit to

03:06another. So, that's finally completed.

03:08So, now uh get back to business.

03:11And uh

03:12of course, we have our meeting tomorrow.

03:15So,

03:16I

03:17mainly was how the friends can help

03:22uh in the center as far as maybe

03:26getting like the coffee up and running

03:28for the for the uh seniors throughout

03:30the day or sometime during the day.

03:33Um

03:35getting the feel getting them to use

03:37like the the cafe.

03:39Um maybe putting a coffee urn in there,

03:42and um

03:44getting a couple of vending machines as

03:46well.

03:47It was a discussion.

03:49Uh soda machine and some snack

03:53That maybe the friends would be

03:55willing to help out, you know, get

03:56started for you.

03:58Uh

04:01You know, it was just like because you

04:02you know

04:05we have these spaces and I you know,

04:07right now the cafe I don't believe

04:09utilized very very much.

04:12We have the television in there, which

04:13is nice. I I'm I'm sure it's going to be

04:16a smart television. Smart TV.

04:19>> I believe it is.

04:20>> Yeah.

04:21So,

04:22we were we were discussing maybe you

04:23know, getting that hooked up.

04:26So, that the senior you know, there are

04:27activities that the seniors don't want

04:29to participate in or

04:31maybe just want to have

04:32a little bit of their own space. They

04:34would be able to go down to the

04:37the cafe and maybe put on a video or

04:39YouTube

04:40um and utilize the calf.

04:45>> Yeah.

04:46>> You know, and and Janaya and I were

04:48working on donations for for maybe

04:50pastries.

04:52>> Yep, so we met with Stop & Shop. What

04:55was it? Like a month ago?

04:56>> Yes.

04:57>> And so,

04:58what we do is on Mondays and Wednesdays

05:01we go to to receiving and we pick up the

05:03pastries. Um if we pick it up early

05:05enough, you know, Mel is able to include

05:07something for breakfast that day.

05:10But what I've what I've learned is is

05:13that we value the actual pastries over

05:15all of like the bakery. So, like the the

05:18breads and all that stuff. So, a future

05:21idea for the breads is what I really

05:24liked about Beverly is they had like

05:25this farm stand

05:27where they put produce from their

05:29garden. They also got donations from a

05:32different bakery and they would put that

05:34stuff on the farm stand for the seniors

05:36to take. I would really love to

05:38implement that idea here and Tanya had

05:41had the wonderful idea of working with

05:43tech for them to build our farm stand.

05:46So, that is something that is also in

05:48the works.

05:50>> Yeah.

05:50>> Well, and and that's the other thing.

05:51So,

05:52I've been reaching out to certain

05:54vendors. I reached out

05:55a company called Bimbo.

05:57I'm sure we've all heard it's a big

05:59bakery.

06:00And uh they do a ton of donations and I

06:03was also anticipating the going over to

06:05BJ's. I know at one point we were

06:08getting a ton of donations

06:10from them

06:11on a monthly basis.

06:14That might be

06:16you know, good for the shuttle to get

06:18back. We used to do that um where we

06:20would get the the donations and they'd

06:22put so much aside for the coffee hours.

06:25Uh and then also there would be things

06:27like they would put on a table and uh

06:30Jenny I'm

06:31not quite sure if this is what you're

06:32referring to, where they put on a table

06:35and they'd

06:37uh you know, pick tables to go up at a

06:39one at a time and grab one or two

06:41things.

06:43So, that they could take what the

06:44seniors would take.

06:45So,

06:47I don't know how you feel if you you

06:48know, would be interested in that.

06:50>> Yeah.

06:51>> Okay.

06:53Um so, these are the things that we've

06:54been trying to work on.

06:57Um

07:00And then, you know, uh

07:02we talked to spoke with Mel about the

07:05coffee.

07:06Thinking she was thinking maybe we'd get

07:08two.

07:11One for

07:12and one for us.

07:13Okay. And um

07:15I will be bringing that for a motion

07:17tomorrow with the friends to see if we

07:19can get that voted in.

07:21>> Okay.

07:21>> And uh so, you know, that's what we've

07:24been up to with for the summer.

07:26And we know we we of course we sponsored

07:28along with the uh the Lynn Council City

07:31Councilors the ice cream truck

07:34for September and August, which was a

07:36seemed to be a big hit.

07:38>> It was.

07:39>> Yeah. Yeah. That was very nice.

07:41Uh

07:43So, just ways of trying to make the you

07:46know the uh

07:47the seniors feel more independent to

07:50where that um you know

07:52where it is a senior center that they're

07:53not just depending on the the senior

07:56center to provide their activity.

07:59You know, to make the you know uh

08:00Janelle we I think we discussed about

08:03how we could maybe hopefully get them to

08:05be more independent and do these you

08:07know, go to the cafe or maybe go

08:09upstairs

08:10start their own little groups maybe.

08:13That would be interesting.

08:17Um

08:18So, you know, that's kind of what I've

08:20been talking about.

08:22And trying to get these things started.

08:26>> Well, Janelle, the friends have been

08:28pretty busy.

08:29>> Yes, we have.

08:31We have you know, we got a nice donation

08:33from uh

08:34them.

08:35And uh so, that that helps.

08:38Um and you know, I'm willing like like

08:40Janelle says, you know, I'm a movement

08:42to you know, if we need to help sponsor

08:44an event or you know,

08:46we've done that in the past music

08:48whatever. So, yeah, please feel free to

08:50reach out to us.

08:52>> Yeah.

08:52>> We're there for

08:53you know. Um

08:56So, Pam, just for you I reached out to

08:59the the bus that bus that I forwarded to

09:03you.

09:06And um they still that is still

09:07available.

09:10>> Yes, uh

09:11I sent that over to Lisa and her and um

09:16services looked into it and there was a

09:19couple concerns.

09:20>> Okay.

09:21>> So, um yeah, we were very disappointed,

09:24you know, but it's

09:26I was I told Lisa I said, I just knew it

09:28was too good to be true. I was ready to

09:30go up and

09:31>> Right. Right.

09:31>> charge it and then just wait and see who

09:34we could get to pay for it. Yeah.

09:36No.

09:37>> Oh, okay, so it didn't work out.

09:39>> Yeah.

09:40>> Okay. All right.

09:41>> Yeah, but thank you, George. Yeah.

09:44>> Yeah, I put that last night and then the

09:47gentleman replied, he just said it was

09:48still available. I didn't And I didn't

09:50ask anything else other than that,

09:52thinking that we'd talk about it today

09:54if it if it was something they would be

09:55interested in.

09:58>> If I could, um we are looking into the

10:00next set of mass DOT grants,

10:04um and we are going to look with a

10:06better eye on the vehicle grants to see

10:09if that they will provide a vehicle that

10:11is similar to vehicle number one, that

10:14is the preferred vehicle at the senior

10:15center.

10:16Um and if they do,

10:19um we're going to see about applying for

10:20that to get a vehicle from them.

10:22>> Okay. That sounds good to you.

10:25So, one last thing I I thought would be

10:27interesting and and it's going back to

10:29the cafe.

10:31Um

10:33I thought it would be a fun idea to

10:34maybe get the seniors involved and maybe

10:37get a name cafe at the center. What do

10:40we think about that?

10:42>> Absolutely. I think involving them with

10:43choosing the the name for it would be

10:45great.

10:46>> Yeah, I think it would be a fun thing.

10:48Maybe we can

10:49get a group and

10:51make some just suggestions and uh

10:53it'd be nice, I think.

10:55Have some fun with it.

10:58>> Absolutely.

10:59>> Okay.

11:01So, that's about all I have right at the

11:02moment, I mean

11:04so we'll get back at it and um

11:07start seeing what we can do to help out.

11:09>> Does anybody

11:11have any questions for George?

11:14>> Uh yes.

11:16>> Very active. Go ahead, Susan.

11:18>> What would the van be used for?

11:22>> So, it's just it's just a bus for

11:24transportation for the seniors to where

11:27they they pick them up in the morning

11:28and they bring them home in the

11:29afternoon.

11:31Take them to their events when there's

11:33an outing.

11:35>> And this one was handicapped accessible,

11:38correct?

11:38>> Correct.

11:39>> Yep. It's more of the handicapped

11:41accessibility that we need also.

11:44>> As well, yep.

11:47>> And Susan, one of the things that the

11:48public health department has been doing

11:50with the senior center is trying to

11:51expand senior transportation. So, for

11:55instance, seniors are able to sign up to

11:58go to local events on the weekends and

12:01the the center's drivers will use the

12:03vehicles to pick people up on a

12:05Saturday,

12:06drop people to an event and then like do

12:08a pick up like two or one or two hours

12:09later and bring people back home. Um

12:12we're also trying to increase, you know,

12:15access to food. So, the the the vehicles

12:18will take people to Phoenix Food Hub on

12:21food pantry day or to Market Basket.

12:23We're trying to increase like people's

12:25ability to get to like say BJ's or

12:27Target or Walmart. So, having two

12:30vehicles that are the preferable

12:32vehicles that are more accessible and

12:34comfortable for folks just allows us to

12:36offer greater transportation office

12:38offers for people.

12:40>> You know,

12:41I have one

12:42one question that I'd like to ask

12:44the council

12:46um if I may.

12:48So,

12:50you know, I was I was thinking about the

12:52events this summer in in the throughout

12:54the city,

12:55you know, like the inside out and

12:57just some of the events have certain

13:00tables event, you know, to display who

13:03they are and what they're about. I was

13:06curious if the council would like to

13:08join the friends in in setting up

13:10something like that for next summer.

13:13Um maybe getting some pens made up,

13:17you know,

13:18and just some type of information about

13:20the friends and how we and not just the

13:23friends, but also the council and aging

13:25and how we

13:27uh

13:28help out at the senior center and you

13:30know, maybe even just be able to give

13:32exposure for the seniors. People be more

13:36aware of the center, where it's at, you

13:38know, that kind of

13:40uh news. Would that be something that

13:42the uh the council would be willing to

13:44do with us?

13:46>> Yeah, it's we can look into the

13:50more opportunity people have to see what

13:54we're doing at the senior center, what

13:56the friends are about. Um

13:59I think it's a great idea.

14:01>> Yeah, and and and and so

14:04you know, my thoughts were not just to

14:06focus on the friends, but you know, um

14:09it's more just exposure for the senior

14:12center and also uh help

14:15the when you know, the council on aging

14:17get you know, exposure so that you know,

14:20when we're reaching out to get um new

14:22members or members involved, that

14:25they'll at least know what we're about,

14:27you know.

14:29I I just I I was thinking about that and

14:31I thought, man, that would be a nice

14:32idea.

14:34>> No, that is a good idea.

14:36>> Yeah. So, I'd be willing to work with

14:38you to do that.

14:40>> Next event's coming up in the spring.

14:42>> Okay, yeah. I think that would be a

14:44great idea to do that together.

14:46>> Okay.

14:48>> Sir, I have one more question. Do they

14:49use the van at all for doctor's

14:51appointments?

14:54>> We're trying to get that part of a

14:56program off the ground. It's just very

14:59difficult right now because

15:02we don't know how long people's

15:04individual appointments would take.

15:07You know, so like there's an idea that

15:08we could say, okay, um

15:13do a majority of people use services at

15:16the medical village on Linfield Street.

15:19You know, so like every day there's a

15:22run to the medical village, but it also

15:24means that after your appointment you

15:26would maybe need to wait, right? Because

15:28it can't be like right now we don't have

15:30the ability for one-off, but that is a

15:33goal to help people get to those

15:35appointments as well.

15:37>> Okay, thank you.

15:39>> And Susan, I just I want to say that we

15:41really encourage those that might have

15:43transportation challenges to apply for

15:47the MBTA The Ride.

15:50Um because uh that's

15:52you know, the the reason we have it is

15:55for those that cannot take fixed route

15:56routes like regular bus routes and those

15:59and um subways and trains.

16:01And um right now uh round trip it's

16:04$3.50.

16:06So

16:08um

16:10>> Thank you.

16:11>> It's a very good option.

16:15>> Do we have any other questions for the

16:17friends?

16:21>> So I want to thank you, George, for all

16:23your work and your dedication and your

16:26tenacity, always trying to find that uh

16:29that donation and looking everywhere. So

16:33thank you. It's greatly appreciated by

16:35all of us.

16:36>> Well, you're welcome and I I enjoy it

16:38and uh hopefully looking forward to

16:40continuing the relationship.

16:42>> All right. Thank you, George.

16:44>> Thank you.

16:44>> So much. All right. Next on the agenda

16:47we have new and old business. So the

16:50first one is volunteer opportunities.

16:54And this one, PM, I think we were

16:57discussing this.

16:59>> Yes. I think I would just want to get

17:00the the word out that um

17:04you know, if if there is like a

17:06dedicated day a week that somebody could

17:08come and maybe help uh even if it is

17:11just help at uh breakfast or lunch to

17:14help with uh serving those that maybe

17:17can't stand in the line for themselves

17:20or um

17:22uh

17:24as we as uh the director was saying

17:28um

17:29you know, we had a dedicated volunteer

17:31that kind of went around and said, "Hey,

17:34you know, you got your lunch donation

17:36today?"

17:37Um just kind of simple things that can

17:40really take give the staff a break so

17:42that they can get back to doing their

17:46regular business there um than just

17:48overseeing.

17:51And I want that you know, the community

17:53to understand that the staff has a lot

17:56bigger responsibility.

17:58Um

17:59the state does not give us all the money

18:02that we need for the senior center, so a

18:04lot of that comes from grants. And that

18:07is from the staff helping to search

18:09those out. Uh we have staff that helps

18:11people sign up for the ride, for food

18:15programs, for their health care.

18:17So um anytime that there isn't

18:20volunteers down there to help with like

18:22the

18:23serving or something like that, that's

18:25time taken away from grant writing

18:27or um helping people sign up for things.

18:34>> Yep, so tell a friend to tell a friend

18:35if they want to come and volunteer.

18:37Please.

18:38>> Yeah.

18:39>> Come on down.

18:39>> Yes.

18:41Yep.

18:43Yep.

18:43>> More importantly, I would love to see

18:45volunteers who maybe have a skill at

18:49something and maybe they want to host a

18:50group for a couple of weeks. I would

18:52really love to see that, too.

18:57>> Janay, can you say that again? I

18:59couldn't hear you.

19:00>> Um a volunteer if we could find

19:02volunteers who maybe they're skilled at

19:04something just to use crochet for for an

19:06example. So it's like if they have a

19:08certain skill that they they want to

19:10come down to the senior center in for

19:11like a few weeks want to want to run a

19:14class. That would be I would love that

19:17and I think the seniors would love that,

19:18too.

19:22>> Good idea.

19:25Does anybody have any questions?

19:28>> I I

19:29I had people ask me if we could get a

19:33the newsletter out a little earlier.

19:36Unstable newsletter cuz sometimes they

19:38come in the first or not and sometimes

19:40they come in the middle of the month.

19:41And like like if you're going to the

19:43fair next this

19:46it's going to be the 5th of the month,

19:47so

19:48people won't know about it they get

19:49don't get the

19:51the newsletter out fast enough.

19:54>> Um on that I'm going to defend the

19:57senior center staff who does it.

19:59Sometimes it doesn't get out quite on

20:02time, but we also have to take in

20:04consideration the mail.

20:06For instance, I know

20:08friends of mine we all were getting

20:09invitations. We all got them a week

20:11apart. They all got mailed the exact

20:13same day.

20:15So

20:17some of it has to do with the mail

20:19delivery. It's not always the senior

20:21center. Like I know people have gotten

20:23their newsletter. I may not get mine for

20:26another week, so I may get it the second

20:29week of the month, so I do miss what's

20:31going on sometimes.

20:33But in defense of whoever is doing the

20:35newsletter

20:36we do have to take that into

20:38consideration. It's the mail delivery,

20:40also.

20:42But we do have a version, I think

20:45>> online

20:46>> Correct. Online that somebody could look

20:49at it a little quicker and then once you

20:52get the paper version.

20:55But

20:57and I it's something you can look into,

20:59but again, I know they try to get it out

21:03in a timely manner, but

21:07it's mailing it out and just doesn't

21:09work the way it's supposed to all the

21:10time.

21:12So.

21:13>> Would it work if we

21:16um

21:18print

21:20kept a couple at the senior center and

21:22put them on each table like one per

21:25table in case someone wants to just grab

21:26it while they're there and look at it?

21:28>> So, they're actually kept at the front

21:31desk. So, when they sign in, if they if

21:34they didn't have one or they haven't

21:35gotten theirs yet, they can just grab it

21:37from right there. Um I know that the

21:41their senior residences, when they do

21:43come in, Jose drops them off there. So,

21:45it's really just a matter of the mailing

21:47ones like Diana said.

21:49>> Okay. Okay.

21:51>> But, we can absolutely work on seeing

21:53how we can improve the delivery overall.

21:56>> What about

21:57What about printing out some

21:59some offline at the city hall?

22:02When it come out?

22:05>> Say that again, Smitty.

22:07>> The one that come out out of line early,

22:09why can't they print them print out a

22:12few of them so I'm putting them in so

22:13people can read them?

22:15>> They Janae just said they are already

22:18out. Like once they get delivered to the

22:20senior center, they're available

22:22physically at the senior center for you.

22:25>> Yeah,

22:26I can get them off the city hall

22:28website.

22:29>> Right.

22:29>> The city hall doesn't print them all.

22:31>> Yeah. I think Smitty's saying that the

22:34online is like written in real time

22:37where waiting for the printer to bring

22:39them to the senior center may be a a day

22:42or two later.

22:44So, if once it's online, maybe just

22:47print out a few

22:49there.

22:51Um I think too maybe

22:55we could coordinate with some of the

22:56housing.

22:57So, we have groups, you know, a lot of

23:00the housing, not all, but a lot of the

23:02housing is represented at the senior

23:04center.

23:05So like maybe uh St. Stephen's folks,

23:07soon as that comes in, they could take a

23:09stack back to their building and on and

23:11on. You know, we have Barrett Street,

23:13Washington, St. Mary's, St. Teresa's

23:16house is represented there.

23:18Um and ask the senior, "Hey, on your way

23:21home, can you drop this off with your

23:22resident service coordinator?"

23:24Um so that the driver isn't dependent on

23:27that.

23:28Um and uh

23:31you know, let's face it, seniors listen

23:33to each other more than they do us or a

23:35flyer.

23:38>> And I also just want to say

23:41>> the newsletter

23:43Yeah.

23:45No, go ahead.

23:45>> Sorry, it was cutting out. I didn't mean

23:46to cut you off.

23:48Um also what we did this previous month,

23:51because we did go through a change from

23:54a different publisher to now using

23:56Canva, so there was a hump in a change

23:58with that. But what we did do is for all

24:02of our events that are coming up that

24:04require registration, now there's just

24:07like a one-pager for a quick glance

24:09without needing to flip through the

24:11entire newsletter that they can see when

24:13they're when they're signing in for the

24:15day. So like Smitty, how you said, oh

24:17you know,

24:18if it's if an event is too early in the

24:20month, somebody may not know to be able

24:23to register in time. By having that

24:25sign-up sheet, they'll they'll be able

24:27to know just at a quick glance early on

24:31what the events coming up are and what

24:32the fee, if any, associated is.

24:36>> Nice.

24:40>> Anybody have any other questions?

24:46No?

24:47>> I have a question.

24:48I used to drive by and it says when

24:51they were selling when they were selling

24:53the vans The

24:55there was 30 of them up on the parking

24:58lot of them.

24:59>> I know.

25:01>> There's one over in There's one over in

25:02um

25:03over in my house with Erica.

25:07>> I know. We will get there. We will get a

25:10van. We will. We have our senior center.

25:13It does happen. It takes time.

25:17Slowly but surely we

25:22We're moving forward. That's how I look

25:24at it.

25:25>> All right, Madam Chairwoman, Ms. Pam.

25:28I'm sorry I'm late for the meeting.

25:31Welcome everybody back. Sorry for being

25:34late.

25:35>> That's okay, John. Thank you for showing

25:37up.

25:37>> Uh you can just as tap me on the wrist,

25:40you know, for being tardy.

25:44>> Yeah, fine.

25:45>> All right, thank you.

25:47>> All right. So, next on the agenda,

25:49accessibility vehicle challenges.

25:53Um I think we did discuss that in the

25:55beginning of the meeting that they're

25:57looking at some grants.

26:00Um

26:00and

26:02I know the health department, Lisa's

26:03working on that right now.

26:06Um COA bylaws,

26:10they're being reviewed by the law

26:12department right now.

26:14Until they're done, we

26:16have an um

26:18nothing we can do until they're done

26:20reviewing them.

26:22>> I can say um the department have been

26:25emailing with Lisa and I and um we're

26:28hopeful that that too, just like the

26:31positions, hopefully that will be done

26:33by the October meeting.

26:35Um the COA board October meeting. And uh

26:40then we would under the bylaws have our

26:43annual meeting where the president, vice

26:46president, and clerk is elected.

26:50Nominated and elected.

26:54>> And that would be an in-person meeting.

26:56That would

26:56>> Yes, according to the bylaws. Yes. Yes.

27:01Um

27:02Lisa, did you want to maybe talk about

27:06uh

27:08an idea

27:09of for October?

27:11>> Yeah, um we were thinking that in order

27:14to like encourage

27:16participation from the um council for

27:19those of you who may not regularly go to

27:21the senior center. Um having that annual

27:25meeting be at the senior center and be

27:27catered for everybody. So, be a catered

27:30lunch for the seniors and for the

27:32council on aging and it be an

27:34opportunity for the seniors to interact

27:37with that with the council on aging. Um

27:39we were looking into seeing like if Lynn

27:40Tuck could could do the food to to make

27:43that like part of the partnership and

27:45and stuff like that. I think it would be

27:47a good opportunity.

27:49Um the the seniors should recognize what

27:52the council's role is at the senior

27:54center, right? Like I mean you guys know

27:56because you're on it.

27:58I know that we've been encouraging um

28:01council on aging members to attend the

28:03senior center and I know many of you

28:04already do. Um but I just was thinking

28:06like in terms of like how can we make

28:08the annual meeting something special and

28:10and for everybody? That might be an

28:12idea.

28:15>> That's good.

28:17Um

28:19Yeah, and then from there we can discuss

28:21our schedule for

28:25the winter months.

28:27Um yeah, I know we're doing Zoom on most

28:29of them, so we'll get

28:32see what everyone feels like

28:35to vote on

28:37how they want to do January and February

28:39this year or next year.

28:42So, does anybody have any questions?

28:46>> Smitty, has his hand up.

28:48>> Smitty?

28:49>> Yeah, I uh

28:50should have brought this up a little

28:51while ago. Um is there any way we can

28:54get the newsletter in uh

28:56in Spanish?

28:59We have a lot of Spanish people.

29:03>> Absolutely, we can work on that.

29:05So, having two versions.

29:07>> You know, with the account of the guy

29:09here, it's always

29:11pre-ordered in the language.

29:14>> I thought it already was.

29:17>> I haven't seen it.

29:18>> No.

29:20I I know we looked into it and Tony, you

29:22may be able to to to chime in on this a

29:24little bit. I know that we had looked

29:26into it previously under the

29:29the old way that the newsletter was

29:31published and it was really,

29:34unfortunately, like super cost

29:36prohibitive. Like it it was like it

29:39would be like

29:41we would have to have we would have to

29:42do half in English and half in Spanish

29:44of the amount that we do now

29:48and we weren't sure if that would work.

29:49I don't know now that it's in Canva if

29:52that's an easier way to do it. Um

29:56I'm thinking maybe

29:58>> No, in Canva it is so easy.

30:00>> Okay.

30:01>> It's it's one button and then you could

30:03just have um Jess uh review it before it

30:06goes to print.

30:07>> Okay.

30:08>> Cuz yeah, that's how Mass Senior Action

30:11does all of theirs.

30:13>> Okay.

30:14>> I have a question regarding the Spanish

30:17um um newsletter. Mr.

30:20Is is the newsletter published on City

30:23of Lynn website?

30:24>> Yes.

30:26>> Okay, if it is published, I I think uh

30:29there's a section on the website that

30:31you can change the language.

30:33Isn't that possible? And then it should

30:35change the language for you. At least

30:37approve me. Tell me if I'm wrong.

30:40>> What I was going to ask, is it on the

30:43city

30:45website or is it on the senior center

30:47page on the city's website?

30:49>> It's on the senior center page, I think.

30:52>> Okay.

30:53>> On the official

30:55>> Okay.

30:56>> I don't know if that makes a difference

30:57though though or not John. So I will

30:59actually check that out myself to see

31:01how that works.

31:02>> Okay.

31:06>> I mean and then I do think in terms of

31:08printing it, we would need to make a

31:11determination about like

31:13do we print it 50% English, 50% in

31:16Spanish? I mean quite frankly, there is

31:20more Spanish speaking folks in Lynn

31:23community than there are English

31:25speaking folks. So if if we were going

31:27to do it based on chosen language, it

31:30would actually be that we'd print more

31:31in Spanish than than English. Um I don't

31:34know if we want to increase the amount

31:36that we're publishing, but again that

31:38that that printing is a cost. Um and I'm

31:40sure we could probably get what that

31:42cost is for the next month's meeting,

31:44give you guys an idea. Um but certainly

31:46if it's just tapping it in Canva,

31:49posting it in

31:51many other languages actually should be

31:53easy, right? Like I mean really

31:56there's many language access things that

31:58we could talk about. So I think that's

31:59something that Janelle and I can look

32:00into a little bit and and kind of report

32:02back to you guys for next next month.

32:05>> All right. Thank you, Lena.

32:06>> And

32:07Janelle, um

32:09let's talk about maybe getting some

32:11donations. Um I'm thinking maybe the uh

32:14Latino Chamber of Commerce

32:16might help with that printing cost.

32:22>> Just jotting it down, sorry.

32:25I think that's a good idea, too.

32:27And really even

32:28aside from donations for that, but

32:31seeing how they can engage with our

32:32Spanish population down at the senior

32:34center.

32:36>> And

32:38you know, even if they would just buy

32:39ads in it, you know, for the year, that

32:42would offset the printing cost, I think.

32:46>> Yeah, I see. You know more about like

32:48the ad stuff.

32:50I don't know if you want to speak to

32:51that at all.

32:54>> With with relation to the ads in the

32:56newsletter, yes, so we have an appointed

33:01um

33:04advertisement rep

33:06uh that is responsible

33:09to I would say biannually

33:12review who our current sponsors are,

33:17solicit for more business, for more

33:20uh support with the newsletter, and also

33:23maintain the existing

33:26uh uh

33:27supporters. So, that's that's really the

33:30process.

33:32>> Thank you.

33:32>> This might be a great opportunity for an

33:35early discussion that we were having

33:37about

33:39you know, if we go to North Shore Latino

33:42Business Association and even the

33:43Chamber and ask them to reach out to

33:46their businesses to advertise in the

33:50Senior Center newsletter because we know

33:52that there are seniors who are looking

33:54for people who can do things for them.

33:57That might be a great start, right? Like

34:00>> It It will, but you also

34:05Excuse me.

34:07Those associations also

34:10I'm not sure but I think you have to be

34:12members of them. There's dues you pay

34:15every year to join these groups, and we

34:20can check with the Chamber. Um I know

34:24I'm a member through my other job, and

34:28North Shore Latino Business Association

34:30is the same way. You become members.

34:33And they do monthly newsletters

34:35themselves and support each business

34:38what's happening.

34:41So, I don't know if it's something they

34:44will do or if you would have to join.

34:48>> I am scheduled to meet with Francis next

34:50week anyway, so I'll speak to her about

34:52that.

34:53>> Yep.

34:59>> Maybe they would look at it as promoting

35:01each other's business.

35:08>> local

35:09Do we have

35:11>> That's what I'm hoping like if they'll

35:12say, "Hey businesses, here's an

35:14opportunity for you to get your

35:16advertisement to a a targeted audience

35:18who's like looking at this newsletter

35:20very regularly, you know, like yeah.

35:22>> Yep.

35:26Number eight. So, we'll put the notice

35:29out for the next board meeting for

35:32October. That will be at the senior

35:34center.

35:36And hopefully we have

35:39new board members.

35:41Some more new board members.

35:43Um

35:45>> And we also really need to have the

35:46bylaws done.

35:48>> Yep.

35:49>> To do that in person as well.

35:52>> Yep.

35:53>> I'll work with Mara on that.

35:58>> Right. Anybody have any other concerns,

36:01questions?

36:05All right. Well, I guess we'll see

36:07everybody in October. Pam will put out

36:10an email to everybody just to let them

36:12know if the bylaws are done, we will

36:14have it at

36:15the senior center

36:18in order to vote on it.

36:20>> With the lunch?

36:23>> Well, everyone have a great day, okay?

36:25>> You too.

36:26>> Thank you.

36:27>> All right. Bye, everyone.

36:29>> Bye now.

36:30Bye now.