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MINUTES OF THE <br />ORONO CITY COUNCIL MEETING <br />Monday, June 27, 2016 <br />7:00 o’clock p.m. <br />_____________________________________________________________________________________ <br /> <br />Page 4 <br /> <br />5. GILLESPIE CENTER (continued) <br /> <br />Deb Taylor thanked the Orono City Council for their past support of the Gillespie Center and Senior <br />Community Services. <br /> <br />Taylor provided an overview of Gillespie’s 2017 budget. The total population in Orono has gone down <br />from 2000 to 2010 but the number of 60-plus individuals has increased from 993 to 1558. This represents <br />an increase of 8 percent. <br /> <br />Senior Community Services include household and outside maintenance for elderly, senior partners care, <br />senior outreach, Medicare and health insurance counseling, and senior centers. Household and outside <br />maintenance for the elderly include homemaking, household repairs, painting, mowing and plowing, <br />raking, window washing, yard clean-up, in-house safety assessments. Senior partners care enables <br />seniors to get the medical care they need by bridging the financial gap between their medical bills and <br />their Medicare coverage. Senior outreach and caregiver services include a licensed social worker who has <br />an office at the Gillespie Center. <br /> <br />The elderly also have the option to obtain Medicare and health insurance counseling with a licensed <br />counselor who volunteers at the Gillespie Center. The counselor will meet one-on-one to help seniors and <br />their caregivers to make the best choices for Medicare supplemental insurance options and Medicare <br />Part D plans. Also available is an employee of the Senior Community Services who promotes life-long <br />learning by providing educational, social and health programs to seniors and community members. <br /> <br />Jeanne Brustad stated the Gillespie Center is a senior community center for elderly residents throughout <br />the area. The Gillespie Center helps coordinate services for the seniors in the community but it also <br />provides a place for other people to come and socialize. Research shows that an active senior center helps <br />to reduce the risk of depression in elderly people and helps to slow down deterioration of cognitive skills <br />that are needed to live independently. An active senior center also enhances social connectedness to the <br />community. Seniors who are involved in the center have a better social, physical, spiritual, emotional, <br />and mental wellbeing. <br /> <br />Orono’s community garden produced fresh and delicious vegetables and helped to supplement the Meals- <br />On-Wheels program as well as the meals served at the Gillespie Center. Brustad stated the community <br />garden was a blessing to all. The volunteers took pride in delivering meals to the smiling faces of the <br />recipients and the Gillespie Center was also able to save money on food costs and were able to serve fresh <br />vegetables to a number of seniors. <br /> <br />Another way the Gillespie Center helps the local residents is by partnering with the local police <br />departments. In 2015, two drug forums were held, with hundreds of people attending each forum. <br />Statewide speakers were featured at both evens. <br /> <br />In addition, several nonprofit and other organizations use the Gillespie Center. Orono and Mound have a <br />joint swim team and they hosted two banquets at the Gillespie Center. Orono Housing, LLC, held a <br />meeting with 60 people attending. The Humana Medicare meeting had 25 people. <br /> <br />The Gillespie Center also offers a number of activities for trips for its members. These activities can be <br />on a bus as a group or simply provide an opportunity for members to attend. Past events have included a <br />trip to Galewood Farms, various casinos, plays, and other places of interest.