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By Katrina Margolis
Hometown Weekly Reporter
The people of Walpole are incredibly supportive of their community. Always at the ready to give back and help each other, they achieve great things all throughout the year due to the generosity and spirit of their neighbors. Once a year, the town takes a day to celebrate not only itself but the people who make up the community. Walpole Day, which is being held this year on Saturday, May 13, is a day for residents and those in the area to take a break, appreciate each other and themselves, and see all that the town has to offer. The Walpole Council on Aging has participated in the day each year, showcasing what they do not only for the seniors of Walpole, but the community at large. This year is no different.
The first COA Walpole Day planning meeting was held last Wednesday. A group of eight women gathered to chat about last year - what went well and what didn’t - and how to make this year’s Walpole Day the best yet. Kerri McManama, Director of the Council on Aging, led the charge, despite being a newcomer. “It’s my first one here!” she exclaimed. However, her enthusiasm and excitement for the day cannot be beat. “We usually have a yard sale, and we participate in the parade as well. It’s a town wide event. There’s a parade, live music, there’s a kid zone with all these inflatables, there’s a food court, and local businesses can get a booth,” she added.
Last year, the COA struggled to get as many volunteers as they needed, but this year, the turnout has been great. Despite all of the enthusiasm, more volunteers are always welcomed and encouraged to get involved at any level. Topics of discussion at the first meeting were the COA’s participation in the parade, the yard sale, and what to showcase in their space during the event. Being so close to the main grounds of the event, people are able to walk through the COA’s space, in which McManama hopes to showcase many of the groups which use the space, including Senior Moments and the Knitting Club.
Last year, the COA’s yard sale raised $322, which all went back into the COA for programming. This year, McManama hopes to be able to bring back the Summer Speaker Series. Opened late on Tuesdays, McManana would like to be able to take advantage of the longer days to bring in more speakers and offer more to the seniors during those months.
The COA is looking for donations for the Yard Sale, and will start collecting those donations on April 7. Clothing and food are not accepted, however, everything else is - from jewelry to household goods to decorative items.
