Recordpub.com - Senior Life by Sally Kelly

The Portage County Senior Services Center is sponsoring a Christmas Bazaar on Nov. 23 in the center at 705 Oakwood St., Ravenna (lower level). The doors will be open from 8:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

Tables are available for crafters at $6 each. Tables and chairs are provided. The Senior Center will also be sponsoring a bake sale and lunch that day.

To reserve a table, send a check to the Portage County Senior Services Center at 705 Oakwood St., Garden Level, Ravenna, OH 44266.

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The Portage County Senior Craft Shop is accepting consignment of items made by area senior citizens. The shop is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It is located on the Garden Level in the center at 705 Oakwood St., Ravenna.

The crafter receives 85 percent of the selling price of an item, and the center retains the other 15 percent to help subsidize the cost of the many activities sponsored by the Senior Center.

For information, call 330-297-3456.

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On Oct. 30, six Kent State University students joined the participants at the Portage County Senior Services Center in celebrating Halloween. The students, Kristy Repinski, Emily Lang, Kelly Will, Sarah Merhaut, Pete Bach and Stephen Cauthen, brought pumpkins and paint for the seniors. Roy Taylor provided the musical entertainment and Stephen Cauthen provided entertainment with a comedy routine. The students then joined the seniors for a hot dog and pizza luncheon.

The KSU students will be back on Nov. 20 to help the seniors with their annual Thanksgiving dinner.

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Two hundred area seniors attended the 15th Annual Senior Harvest Ball at the American Legion Post in Kent. The Al Zimmerman Combo provided the entertainment, and Special Moments Catering provided the lunch. The cost of the luncheon was subsidized by donations from the Portage Senior Service Network, Anna Maria of Aurora and the Portage County Senior Services Center.

Many of our area elected officials and many who were running for election joined the seniors for the event. As always, these folks served dessert and helped with the distribution of door prizes. (They were truly public servants!)

Commissioner Chuck Keiper sang "God Bless America," Commissioner Maureen Frederick led the group with the Pledge of Allegiance and Commissioner Chris Smeiles gave the invocation.

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Robinson Memorial Hospital's Health Education Department is sponsoring a free program from 9 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday to discuss "Practical Tips on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Life Skills for Diabetes Patients."

The program will be held in the Palmstrom Community Room at the hospital.

To learn more about the event or to register, call 330-297-2576.

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The Portage County Senior Services Center is now part of the Acme Cashback Program. We are looking for your Acme receipts dated during the months of October, November and December 2009 and January and February 2010. Acme will reimburse the center a percentage of your receipts. The money will be used by the center to subsidize some of their dinners and bus trips.

Send receipts to the Portage County Senior Center, 705 Oakwood St., Ravenna, OH 44266.

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The "Ohio Consumers' Corner" (publication of the Ohio Consumers' Counsel) has some new information about benefits for low-income customers.

Low income this year is defined as anyone in a single-person household with a yearly income of less than $21,660, or a yearly income of less than $29,140 for a two-person household.

Consumer advocacy has led to an agreement with FirstEnergy, which will now provide $6 million over three years for low-income bill assistance. An agreement with Dominion East Ohio achieved $9.5 million for energy efficiency programs, of which $6.5 million is for low income; $1.2 million for bill payment assistance and education; and $240,000 to fund a $4 credit per month for up to 5,000 low income non-PIPP customers.

The Ohio Consumer Council has also been able to secure additional assistance for low-income customers. They have collaborated to lower up-front payment requirements for the 1/6 payment plan for disconnection situations. They also helped achieve the opportunity for PIPP customers to obtain full arrearage credits in 24 months.

Don't think this applies to you or your friends? Think again. One in 10 Ohio households experienced a disconnection of either their gas or electric service because of nonpayment in 2008. A study conducted by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners last year revealed that almost half of all residential consumers are unable to make all utility payments on time.

Don't forget about the Ohio HEAP program which may help you with your heating bills this winter. Applications are available from the Community Action Council (West Main in Ravenna by Center of Hope) or from the Portage County Senior Services Center.

Do not be bashful about asking for help. You can see by the numbers above that there is money available to help you. Just fill out a form, and ask!

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E-mail: skelly@portageco.com

Phone: 330-297-3456