Sequestration in Montgomery County

Sequestration: A Cut for Montco's Seniors

Part Two of a Four-Part Series: How budget cuts may impact local senior citizens.

Another 24 hours is lost, and Congress has yet to agree on a plan that would stop sequestration. The automated budget cuts will deliver a hit to Montgomery County programs, including those designed to assist area senior citizens. In a recent Wall Street Journal op-ed, House Speaker John Boehner said the cuts would be a product of Obama's "failed leadership." "Most Americans are just hearing about this Washington creation for the first time: the sequester," Boehner writes in his column. "What they might not realize from Mr. Obama's statements is that it is a product of the president's own failed leadership. There is nothing wrong with cutting spending that much -- we should be cutting even more -- but the sequester is an ugly and dangerous …

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State Gives Seniors Free Fruits and Veggies

The Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program gives seniors free, nutritious foods and local farmers a financial boost.

What could make a meal made with fresh summer fruits and vegetables taste even better? How about knowing that the fresh fruits and vegetables were free? The Senior Famers Market Nutrition Program (SFMNP) is making $20 worth of vouchers available to Montgomery County residents over the age of 60 who meet income requirements. “It’s to help the farmers and also the seniors,” said Jack Tarman, executive director of the Willow Grove Community Development Corporation (WGCDC). The WGCDC, a nonprofit that helps residents find affordable housing, is serving as one of the 26 distribution sites for the vouchers in Montgomery County. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture makes the money available throughout the state, and also certifies farmers …

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Seniors' social life shines at the Golden Age Club

Upper Moreland's Parks and Recreation Department offers a meeting place for those 55 and older.

In 1980 a group of senior citizens started meeting to play cards.  Eventually the group expanded to include lunches and trips.  This group is now known as the Golden Age Club (GAC). The Golden Age Club is one of Upper Moreland's Parks and Recreation Department programs.  You do not have to live in Upper Moreland to be a part of the club, according to Katie Kollar, Recreations Director for Parks and Recreation. The club has had members from neighboring towns, cities and even from other countries. The only requirements to be in GAC is you have to be 55 years or older and pay an annual fee of $7.  Last year GAC had about 780 members. "It's basically a club for camaraderie and a meeting place for seniors," says Kollar. GAC is more than just a…

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Seniors Writing Group at Upper Moreland Intermediate School

Despite the snowy conditions seniors headed to Upper Moreland Intermediate School on Saturday for a winter writing session.

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Upper Moreland School District gives the gift of writing

Local senior citizens are preserving their life stories with the help of Upper Moreland School District students and teachers.

Local senior citizens are back in the classroom, but this time their schooling holds a different significance. The mature classmates are sharpening their writing skills to compose poems, stories and, mostly, memoirs that will be passed down to their children and grandchildren. For several years, teachers and students of the Upper Moreland School District have helped senior citizens from the community preserve their life stories in writing through a seniors writing group. The group meets at Upper Moreland Intermediate School, usually for five Saturdays during every school semester. This academic year, though, the group has met four times in the fall, with four more sessions scheduled for both the winter and the spring. The community …

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