Pancakes & Eggs to the Rescue!

by Glenn C. Koenig, Webmaster at Town Wide Mall

Maynard, MA - Maynard's Police and Fire Service folks have collaborated with Maynard's Council on Aging to  “cook up” an event (pun intended) for this coming Monday, August 25th called “Syrup & Sirens”  It’s a community breakfast, specifically for Maynard residents, 60 years of age and older.  It will take place at the Elks' Club, at 34 Powder Mill Road, from 9 to 11 AM.
The gathering is planned especially for people who seek more connections with others in the community, especially those who have been feeling somewhat isolated.

Background

Based on the latest town census, Maynard had a population of 10,585 residents as of this January. Of those, 3,282 are age 60 or older.  That's 31%, just short of a third.  A few hundred live in housing facilities devoted to this population, the rest live in apartments or private homes.  Many have outlived their spouses, siblings, or other family members, and in today's mobile society, even relatives or old friends may live far away.

If you’re feeling especially isolated, here in Maynard, what can you do?   Unless you have some kind of emergency, there is no 911 or 988 to call just for loneliness.  If you want something that’s not as much of an emergency service, but more long lasting and consistent, what are the options?

Some of us over 60 have plenty of social connections, but even then, it’s easy to feel isolated sometimes.  Many Maynard residents of all ages are aware of this situation and are interested in developing ways to help.  Enter Maynard’s emergency services, the fire and police departments, who are stepping out of their emergency roles for just this purpose.  Of course, this is just a one time event, but hopefully, it can lead to better connections that continue in the weeks and months to follow.

Commentary

When it comes to strengthening a sense of community, I'm all for it.  In today's world of constant change, finding connections with each other can help us in so many ways.  I applaud our local emergency services folks for putting this together.
Clearly, when it comes to building community, the more the better.  It's easy to get together with those with whom we typically connect with, but for some people, it may seem more challenging to feel as if they belong.
The boom in social media and online that started in the mid 2000s has had a significant impact on all of us.  We now order items online, communicate using social media, and read news from websites.  This has been quite a shock to the existing ways we have socialized or shopped in the past.  I mention shopping, because, although the main purpose is to buy something needed, shopping in person has also had its social benefit. Shoppers often talk with with shop owners or those staffing the store as well as others   who happen to be there for the same purpose.
Overall, we do more things on screens and less in person, compared to 20 years or so ago.  Now, we are struggling to find a way to restore our in-person connections and build local networks of people gathering together.  This includes everyone who could benefit for more community connections, not just older folks.  At least this event is one of a number of things we can do to help.

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