Just to recap 2024, here are the accomplishments and activities for this past year:             

GRANTS
Age Well provided grants to Forsyth County Senior Services for unfunded Meals on Wheels (MOW). This grant pays for meals for homebound seniors who are not yet approved by Legacy Link and cannot privately pay.

Age Well provided grants to Senior Services for Alzheimer’s Respite Care. This grant is for those that cannot afford the cost-share required to participate in the dependent’s drop-off care, giving caregivers time to perform other duties.

Age Well provided grants to Senior Services to do minor house repairs, pet food, personal care products, etc. for the MOW participants.

Age Well provided direct grants that do not usually exceed a total of $1,500 quarterly for seniors in the county who apply. This application may be for a ramp, house and roof repairs, window and door repairs and so much more.  In conjunction with The Place, Age Well has done many outstanding things for grantees this year. Merchants have provided free labor and materials in many cases also.  We have secured a roof for a senior, repair of roof and window replacements, too many plumbing issues to mention, and more.  Requested yard work and gutter cleaning have usually been done for free by contacting local churches. If not, we have paid for vetted yard work, etc.

Age Well has been the non-profit that has coordinated with Senior Services to manage a grant from the Atlanta Food Bank out of Gainesville.  This grant has provided food and vegetables for the MOW participants and the mobile food bank.

FOOD
Age Well has provided fresh fruits and vegetables as needed by Senior Services for MOW recipients or on-premises participants, including but not limited to:

* Sweet potatoes and cards for Valentine Day.
* Green apples and Shamrock cards for St. Patricks Day.
* Nail care kits and Flower cards for summer.
* Fresh fruits and vegetables year round for the MOW participants as needed.
* Punkin cards for Halloween.
* Thanksgiving cards with a full meal that included canned chicken, green beans, corn, carrots, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy packet, vegetable soup and chicken & rice soup, and a small pie.
* Paid for the Thanksgiving congregate meal at Charles Place.
* Paid for 30 pies for the Thanksgiving congregate meal at Sexton Hall.
* Candy canes and holiday cards went out to MOW participants with a full Christmas meal that included a ham steak, mac & cheese, mixed vegetables, black eyed peas, turnip greens, diced potatoes, chicken and dumplings, beef stew, and apples and oranges.
* Age Well was the recipient of a grant from the Children of the American Revolution. The money was given to the Senior Center for the food pantry.

VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION
Age Well gave a gas card to the volunteer drivers of the MOWs in April and a gift card in December.

PARTIES and other ACTIVITIES
Age Well hosted a Valentine’s Day Party, a Sock Hop, and a Halloween Party at Senior Services location(s) this year.  Each party had food, gifts, and entertainment.

Hosted regional trips to Nashville and Savannah.

MISCELLANEOUS
* Paid for a second bus to carry seniors to the Capitol for Senior Day.
* Helped with the fall Senior Talent Show and the funding.
* Assisted in sponsoring the Senior Expo and participated in the events of the day. Age Well gave away bags, pens, note pads, and treats to the participants as well as had a draw for three gift cards.
* Age Well and the Forsyth Historical Society had our third Cemetery Tour in October. This fundraiser and public service is very well received by the community.
* Paid a vet bill and provided a microwave for two participants of MOW.
* Assisted with gifts for the Senior Center Angel Tree at Christmas.

*The more things change, the more they stay the same! Get a chuckle out of comments made in the year 1955 - 70 years ago...
 
 * I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it’s going to be impossible to buy a week’s groceries for $10.00.
* Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $1,000.00 will only buy a used one.
* If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit; 20 cents a pack  is ridiculous.
* Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging 7 cents just to mail a letter.
* If they raise the minimum wage to $1.00, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store.
* When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost more than 20 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage.
* I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying DAMN in GONE WITH THE WIND, it seems every new movie has either HELL or DAMN in it.
* I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas.
* Did you see where some baseball player just signed a contract for $50,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the President.
* I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They're even making electric typewriters now.
* It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet.
* It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work.
* I'm afraid the Volkswagen car is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business.
* Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the Government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to government.
* The fast food restaurant is convenient for a quick meal, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on.
* There is no sense going on short trips anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $2.00 a night to stay in a motel.
* No one can afford to be sick anymore. At $15.00 a day in the hospital, it's too rich for my blood.

Members of the Martha Stewart Bulloch Society of the Children of the American Revolution were proud to present a grant check to AgeWell Forsyth for work in combatting senior food insecurity in Forsyth County. The grant is the result of the 2023-2024 C.A.R. National Project that recognized non-profit organizations nominated by members who volunteered with those organizations. MSB members spent time last summer and fall working in the Senior Services Food Pantry and preparing bags of food for Meals on Wheels recipients.
 
With the funds received from the grant, AgeWell and the Senior Services Food Pantry will be able to provide over 6,000 pounds of food to Forsyth County Seniors! We and they appreciate it!
 
Pictured are MSB Society President, Piper W. and Georgia State President Lily W.  See the official grant letter received from the Society below.

For those of you asking about Haunted History tours this fall, the Historical Society is doing something a bit different, but should be entertaining in its own right! On October 28th they will be having Historic Bus Tours of Cumming with narration at each destination and in between stops. The cost is only $15, and there are five tour times, starting at 1:30pm. See our Upcoming Events page for more info and how to register.

The Forsyth County Health Department is holding a Resource Health Fair on Friday, June 2, 2023 from 1:30pm to 3:30pm at their offices at 428 Canton Road. An Amerigroup Community Care representative will be present to answer questions about member benefits and services. Join for free giveaways, health information, resources and more. See details in the brochure PDF below.

Whether caring for someone with dementia or anticipating this role for the future, this seminar presented by Forsyth County Senior Services can help you get familiar with the resources available to you. The seminar will be held at Sexton Hall on Thursday, June 1, from 12:30 to 3pm, with lunch provided.  Registration is required, and is open until May 25. Register online at www.forsythco.com/seniors or call 770-781-2178. Download PDF below for more details.

There are a couple of very low-cost services available to County seniors and others for local transportation. One is Access Forsyth (formerly Dial-a-Ride), which charges only $2 each way (in-county locations only).

Another is Ride-Share, a service managed by the non-profit Common Courtesy, which uses Uber or Lyft drivers. For this, you must have a smartphone and credit card; rides are $2 each way, plus a $15 one-time registration fee.

See more details for both these services in the PDF below, or visit: 
www.forsythco.com/Departments-Offices/Public-Transportation/Ridesharing