SAXTONS RIVER — A group of Saxtons River area residents has been meeting informally for several months to explore the need for and feasibility of establishing a community organization to provide services and support primarily to elderly or disabled residents of the village and surrounding areas.
The group envisions a model similar to the one used by the organization Westminster Cares.
Before proceeding further, members of the Saxtons River Cares Planning Committee would like input from as many community members as possible about the kinds of services they would like to see made available.
In the coming weeks, community needs assessments will be mailed to all households in Saxtons River Village, as well as parts of rural Rockingham, Westminster, Westminster West, and Cambridgeport Village.
Those who receive the surveys are asked to fill them out – which may be done anonymously – and return them to Saxtons River Cares Planning Committee, PO Box 649, Saxtons River, VT 05154. Surveys may also be returned to collection boxes at Main Street Arts, Saxtons River Village Market, River Artisans or Pleasant Valley Brew Pub, all in the village.
Each responding household will be entered in a raffle, with prizes donated by volunteers and local businesses. The drawing will be held on Bastille Day, July 14.
The survey asks a number of questions, broken down into five categories of services: transportation, nutrition, self-care, communication, and daily living activities.
In addition, residents will be asked to rank a range of potential services by priority, with those services getting the most votes giving the steering committee a starting point to begin identifying resources to meet those needs.
Among the services proposed are help with transportation, nutrition and exercise classes, fellowship for elders, help with childcare and/or pets, community meals, a food pantry, and after-school snacks.
The survey also asks respondents if they would be willing to volunteer to help provide some of those services and activities.
The more households that respond, the clearer the direction Saxtons River Cares will have as it moves forward toward serving the larger community in a meaningful, substantial way.
The deadline for returning the community needs assessment is Saturday, July 11. For more information, contact Berta Martin at 802-869-2748.