It’s no secret that fall is my favorite time of year! I love the changing of the leaves (including the colorful leaves you made with wet needle felting!). We’ve got some great new programs coming up, all the same activities we know and love, and we’re ready to welcome even more new seniors this year.
Avid readers of the Bulletin may recall that October is the start of our new fiscal year. And, what a year it has been, both with the memories we’ve shared, and by the numbers. We’ve served 16% more seniors compared to last year – over 1,100 individuals! And, if you’ve noticed the calendar getting more full, you’re right: 263 more events this year, compared to last. The Center has also felt busier too – average attendance is close to 70. Last year, while we were still coming out of the pandemic, it was closer to 50.
Speaking of the pandemic…the emergency is long since over, but we are still faced with a potentially big respiratory illness season this year. There is a lot of information out there – and a lot of misinformation out there, too. We’re here to help you sort it out. Tuesday, 10/3 we will have public health experts from Dartmouth Health present the latest guidelines on vaccinations and help answer your questions. October is a great time to get your flu shots, and we’ve got a block reserved at Dartmouth’s flu clinic, just for seniors, on October 13th. We strongly encourage everyone able to get their flu and covid shots to do so. You can also reach out to your doctor if you have questions, they are there to listen and help you make the best choice for yourself.
Every day I think how fortunate Bugbee is to have volunteers, staff, and community support to keep this place awesome. I can tell you, of those 263 additional events this year, none would have been possible without volunteers. There are many ways to support Bugbee, so we hope as we inch towards the end of the calendar year, you will consider making a donation, getting involved – or hey, even just trying a new activity. The more the merrier!
Mark Bradley
Executive Director