Age Well is proud to continue helping our county's senior citizens in so many different ways, small and large. Read on for our Top Hit List of 2019:

Activities supporting Forsyth County Senior Services department include:
Continuing support for Meals on Wheels participants and/or individual seniors as requested, specifically for cat and dog food and incontinence products.

Yearly grant for extra food for seniors in need from the Food bank in Gainesville

$5,000 per year for unfunded Meals on Wheels’ new participants

$5,000 per year for expenses for “Sunshine Group” Alzheimer’s participants at Sexton Hall

$3,000 per quarter for needed purchases for Meals on Wheels recipients.  This may be a fan, a blanket, a heater, a walker, a wheel chair, or a repair.  Mr. Hill supervises this with Linda Ledbetter’s help.

Extra money for fresh fruit and breakfast foods for congregate at Charles Place

Dessert (pies) at the Thanksgiving Dinner at the Senior Center

Scholarships for seniors that cannot afford to take a class they wish to participate in at one of the Senior Centers.

A gambling day bus trip to N.C. every other month

On a continuing basis, two of our board members, out of their own pockets, provide Holiday treats from Age Well for every holiday.  These go to the Meals on Wheel participants and the congregate.

Each year, new needs arise for the Forsyth County Senior Center facilities. The ones funded this past year were an industrial dishwasher for Charles Place, and a matching grant for silverware at Charles Place.

A Valentine Party for seniors at Sexton Hall with music, entertainment and food.

A “Hoedown Party” at Sexton Hall for active seniors in the fall. Age Well provided the DJ music, entertainment, decorations, and food for everyone with the help of the Sexton Hall staff.

In November, Age Well provided a craft class free to all seniors at Charles Place and made bracelets. There were over 15 participants.

In December, Age Well offered a free craft class making Christmas ornaments.  There were over 20 participants.

Other activities focusing on seniors at large include:
     * Continuing support and participation with the Council on Aging in Atlanta.
     * Provides an extra bus for Senior Day at the Capitol if needed.
     * A funding sponsor for the yearly SENIOR EXPO at Lanier Tech.
     * “Grant for Seniors Program” - One grant per quarter for a qualifying senior who needs something
         they cannot do or provide for themselves.  The grants are from $500 to $1,000 per quarter.
         Age Well gave out 4 grants in 2019, one per quarter.
     * Age Well promoted rides to doctors for seniors and stands ready to help if the County’s new
​        Ride-Share pilot program needs assistance in any way.

To fund this wide range of support for seniors, Age Well Forsyth receives generous donations from local corporations, as well as generating revenue from services or activities including:

Age Well’s variety show at the Cumming Playhouse is the major fundraiser each year. There are many board members as well as volunteers who participate in this show. Cindy Bowman and Linda Ledbetter have directed it in years past and Ruthie Brew, the director for Senior Services, has been a volunteer!

Several low-cost overnight regional trip opportunities for seniors that wish to travel.

National and international trips; in 2019, these included Austria, Switzerland, and Bavaria, a trip to the National Parks, and Christmas on the Danube.  These trips, of course, vary every year depending on what people ask for.

At a recent Cumming City Council meeting, Age Well Forsyth presented an Award of Appreciation to members of the Mashburn family for their philanthropy and care for the elderly of Forsyth County. Read the speech we gave for the details:

"​On behalf of Age Well Forsyth, a local non-profit supporting County senior services and furthering senior issues, we would like to present these Awards of Appreciation to the Mashburn family, for once again considering the good of Forsyth County’s most vulnerable citizens, in preserving the affordable senior housing property that could have been included in the recent sale of family property bordering Veterans Memorial Parkway and Meadow Drive.
Doctor Mark Mashburn was well ahead of his time as a philanthropist, directing that housing’s original development in the 1950s. It is still one of the only available spaces for income-challenged seniors in the County. The Mashburns have protected and brought peace of mind to those residents, and Age Well and other senior-centric organizations in the County are very grateful for their action."

Many of you may have seen the coverage in the Atlanta Journal Constitution about problems in Assisted Living and Personal Care homes in Georgia. This coverage has created a plethora of responses and follow-up to this very important topic regarding the health and safety of some of our most vulnerable citizens. CO-AGE, a statewide advocacy group for the elderly, has made addressing these issues one of its top priorities in working with the state legislature for 2020. For links to the coverage, visit the CO-AGE website at  https://www.gcoa.org/

Dozens of Thanksgiving pies were donated to Meals on Wheels to be delivered to program recipients. Thanks Lauren and Beverly, two special Board members who do something for the program every holiday, including Valentine's Day, Halloween and Christmas!

Trip to Switzerland and Bavaria was gorgeous!

Hundreds of seniors and their families learned about local services and support available in Forsyth County, including medical, legal, financial, housing and activities organizations. Door prizes and takeaway items added to the excitement!