The Community Center Team of Staff and Volunteers gear up for the holiday season!

Each Fall, the Human Services, Recreation, and Senior Center staff team up with their volunteers and community partners to facilitate the annual Turkey Giveaway and Holiday Program.

The Turkey Giveaway program provides community members with vegetables, a turkey, and other groceries for a complete Thanksgiving Meal.  

The individuals participating in this program connect with the Food Pantry or Human Services, and express the need for support. 

This program would not be as successful without the help of the community partners, Shaw’s and Star Market, Market Basket, Ashland Emergency Fund, the Ashland High School Student Council, and volunteers. 

Ashland Emergency Fund purchases the food from Market Basket. Shaw’s collects donations from in-store shoppers to assist with the purchase of a meal to assist the Ashland Food Pantry and residents in need. The high school Student Council facilitate an annual food drive, specifically for this Thanksgiving program, encouraging all students to donate non-perishables. This truly is a group effort!

On the day of the Turkey Giveaway, the Department of Public Works team picks up the donated turkeys and brings them to the Community Center while staff members, members of the Select Board, and volunteers come together to hand out turkeys and groceries, helping Ashland residents enjoy their Thanksgiving holiday. 

After Thanksgiving we roll right into December which kicks off the Holiday Program. This program is another wonderful way the Community Center team provides assistance to community members. 

Throughout the fall months, the team gathers information for individuals wishing to participate in the program. Businesses, churches, residents, and charities are invited to adopt/sponsor a child or number of children. The holiday program participants remain anonymous to the donors who are provided with information to assist with gift purchasing for the child they are sponsoring.

Individuals wishing to donate, but do not wish to adopt a child, are encouraged to donate gift cards and/or ‘filler gifts.’ These donations are helpful and necessary to help facilitate this holiday program.

In addition to our sponsors, the Ashland Emergency Fund helps support the program by providing gift cards and additional gifts.

In December, the Community Center will shut down for the day as staff members and volunteers distribute all of the wonderful gifts to the families and help make the holiday magical for so many. 

Should you need assistance with food please do not hesitate to get in touch with the food pantry at 508-532-7949, or would like to adopt a child or donate gifts towards the Holiday Program; please contact the Human Services department at 508-532-7942 or 508-532-7946.

The deadline to sign up and Sponsor a child is Nov. 1. The deadline for families to return their application in the program has already passed. 

Veterans Day Celebration

On Monday, Nov.  14th at 12 pm, the Ashland Fire Department and Police Department, with support from the staff members at the Community Center and the Friends of the Council on Aging, host the annual Veterans Day Celebration! This year’s celebration will feature 4 vocalists, “Patriotic Cavalcade” and more!

Last year, the Ashland Police Department, Fire Department, Ashland Police Association, and 1893 Firefighters Local put together a program featuring an Honor Guard, recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance, a few words from the Department Chiefs, and listened to a presentation by Clifton Edward Reed, the Last Tuskegee Airman.  

If you are interested in attending this year’s celebration on Monday, Nov. 14, at noon, at the Ashland Community Center, please contact the Community Center staff by calling 508-881-0140.

Upcoming events at the Senior Center: 

Halloween Costume Ball 11/2

Scam Prevention with D.A Ryan on 11/9 

Cider and Donuts 11/30 

FCOA Holiday party 12/8 at 4 pm

Please visit https://www.ashlandmass.com/172/Elder-Servicesfor more information on programs and events held at the Ashland Senior Center.