Refreshments will be served. For more information or to register for this event, call the Fairhaven Council on Aging at (508) 979-4029. All are welcome!

Many thanks to everyone at Coastal Communications!

Hello Everyone,

Join me Sunday as we kick off the New Year with a Polar Plunge!  We can all agree there may have been difficult times in 2011, but we have much to be thankful for.  Volunteers and people in our field make a difference in peoples’ lives everyday and jumping into the freezing cold waters is nothing in comparison to the dedication, commitment and strength of those who care enough to help others on a daily basis. I will attend as a reminder to all those who make a difference in our community.

You know you thought about it, so now is your chance!  JOIN ME!

While we at Beacon AFC have to admire Ray and his courage (after all, the guy jumped out of a plane earlier this year for charity), we’ll be watching from the beach where it’ll be warm and dry. All the best to Ray for helping this worthy cause!
EVENT DETAILS: Fort Phoenix Polar Plunge Sunday, January 1, 2012, 10:00 am. Fort Phoenix State Beach, Fairhaven
Free Event. Changing tents, a warming fire, porta-johns & refreshments. Proceeds from the sale of long sleeve T-shirts at $25 each will be used to establish a scholarship at Fairhaven High School in memory of victims of domestic violence. For more information contact Kathy Lopes at lopeska@aol.com or 508-991-2194.

Today is World AIDS Day. As of 2011, 1.2 million people in The United States are living with HIV infection, and 1 in 5 are unaware of their status. Approximately 50,000 Americans become infected with HIV each year. The Center for Disease Control estimates that there are over 34 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.

World AIDS Day is an international observance dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic worldwide. This year’s theme is “Getting to Zero: Leading with Science, Uniting for Action”. It highlights global HIV and AIDS prevention success and continued committment to saving lives through education, research and awareness.

It’s hard to believe that the first cases of AIDS were reported only 30 years ago. Since that time, AIDS has killed approximately 30 million people wordwide, making it one of the most destructive diseases in recorded history. To learn more about the CDC’s global response strategy, visit the CDC’s World Aids Day webpage. To find out about local World AIDS Day events, visit AIDS.gov. 

In Fall River,  World AIDS Day events start at noon at Government Center with a Raising of the Flags and Press Release. At 6 pm, a candlelight vigil will be held, followed by a march from Government Center to the Sociedade Cultural Acoreana, 205 S. Main St. Fall River. This even is sponsored by Seven Hills Behavioral Health, Project AWARE and SSTAR.

In New Bedford, a candlelight vigil will be held at 6pm on the steps of City Hall, followed by a march to Centre Trinity United Methodist Church on Elm and County St. Reception to follow. This event is sponsored by Seven Hills Behavioral Health and Project CARE.

In Boston, the Boston Living Center is hosting a reception at the Prudential Center, culminating with the lighting of the Prudential Building. The Prudential Building will be illuminated red in honor of World AIDS Day. There will be poetry readings and a reception to follow.

The Beacon AFC Team

 The final donations have all been calculated and the 2011 Walk to End Alzheimers was a huge success. Beacon Adult Foster Care was proud to take part in this event. Together we raised over $500.00 in sponsorships and donations for the Massachusetts /New Hampshire chapter of the Alzheimers Association.

All together, a total of over 2.3 MILLION dollars was raised to aid in the fight against Alzheimers Disease. This money will go to raise awareness of the disease as well as fund research and provide for the treatment and care of people living with Alzheimers.

We thank everyone who walked with us, provided support and/or donated to the cause. It’s not too late to donate if you haven’t yet, but still want to. Go to www.alz.org to make an online donation!

Those of you who had Lynn as your registered nurse know her as a compassionate, caring person who is devoted to the welfare of her clients and caregivers. We at Beacon AFC know her as a loyal, professional and hard-working employee who gave our company her best for over a year, and as a very dear friend.

We wish Lynn the greatest success as she starts this new stage of her life, and although we are saddened by her departure, she is a member of our family and will always have a place here.

And, Lynn, if you’re reading this, keep in touch. We will miss you.

A continental breakfast and lunch will be served and raffle prizes will be awarded. This event is sponsored by A.I.D.S., the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, Seven Hills Behavioral Health and the New Bedford Community Connections Coalition.

For more information or to register, contact Susan Arsenault at the Greater New Bedford Community Health Center, 508-992-6553, extension 155.

The takes place from 5-6:30 pm, with registration starting at 4:30 pm. Refreshments will be served and raffle prizes will be donated by all the SRA members. We hope you will join us for a fun and informative evening!

Full details of the event may be found here: SRA Event

Beacon Adult Foster Care will also be at the Rochester Council on Aging on Friday, September 23rd from 10am-2pm for their annual health fair! The Rochester Senior Center is located at 67 Dexter Lane in Rochester, MA. There will be raffle prizes and lots of vendors, so be sure to drop in! We look forward to seeing you there!