CROWLEY FUEL TO HOST ‘BRACING FOR THE COLD: A HOME HEATING SEMINAR”

North Brookfield, MA – Crowley Fuel Company, Inc., of North Brookfield, will host a public forum to address the high cost of home heating fuel on Tuesday, September 16, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Haston Public Library in North Brookfield.

“The forecast is difficult to predict because there are so many unknown variables,” said Crowley Fuel owner, Bob LaFlamme. “Some say the cost of home heating fuel may be higher than last year, but the possibility always exists that prices could come down. That’s why it’s important to understand the playing field and plan accordingly.” (more…)

REAS Foundation Receives Major Donation

The Board of Directors of the REAS Foundation are pleased to announce a major donation from Southbridge Savings Bank. Southbridge Savings Bank’s generous support of a $2,000 will help the organizations goal of raising $20,000 to help assist Sturbridge seniors with energy costs.

The REAS Foundation is the Residential Energy Assistance for Seniors Foundation, and is built upon the belief that the greatness of a community is ultimately judged not so much by the beauty or magnificence of its structures, but rather, by its compassion, contributions, and care for its most vulnerable members. Rising energy costs, which in turn drive the costs of many associated items, coupled with fixed incomes, have placed many of our seniors in difficult and dangerous predicaments. Their incomes are now fast outpaced by escalating energy prices. Choices between fuel, food, and prescriptions medications are becoming all too common for many of our seniors.

“The Board of Trustees and I are happy to help contribute to such a worthwhile organization,” the bank’s president and CEO, Phil Pettinelli, said on offering Southbridge Savings’ donation. “Our bank is committed to helping those in need in the areas that we serve.”

REAS Foundation Executive Director, Thomas Creamer, said, “It is through the support of organizations like Southbridge Savings Bank that help our visions become realities. Donations like these indicate that our efforts thus far are getting the message out and are having an impact.”

REAS Foundation Board of Director’s Chairman - Scott Garieri, (2nd from the left in photo), and Vice-Chairman James Malloy, (3rd from the left in photo), accepted the gift on behalf of the Foundation from Bill Pioppi - Southbridge Savings Bank Chairman of the Board of Trustees (far right in photo), and Mike Checkosky - Southbridge Savings Bank Sturbridge Branch Manager (far left in photo). 

This significant donation from Southbridge Savings Bank increases our gifts recieved thus far, from the 29% mark, to less than a percentage point shy of our 40% benchmark. This has been an exciting first month of fund raising and the REAS Foundation is grateful to all of our partners.

If you want to find more information about the REAS Foundation’s visit them at www.REASFoundation.org. Inquiries may be sent to info@REASFoundation.org or to P.O. Box 737, Fiskdale, MA 01518.

For more information about Southbridge Savings Bank, call  800-939-9103  or visit them on the web at www.southbridgesavingsbank.com.

From: Detective Mark Saloio - Sturbridge Police Department

August 26, 2008

The Sturbridge Police Department would like to make the public aware of a scam being attempted on area residents. Various residents have received phone calls from an automated system identifying themselves with either the Southbridge Credit Union or the Sturbridge Credit Union, and are asked to enter or provide their respective ATM, debit or credit card information. THIS IS NOT LEGITIMATE, and is in no way affiliated with any financial institution in Sturbridge. Residents are cautioned not to provide any type of information to this calling party, and are asked to notify the Sturbridge Police at  508-347-2525 , or their local police agency if not in Sturbridge, should they receive any calls. 

The following article is taken from today’s (08-24-08) Sunday Telegram.

Communities brace for spike in winter fuel

By Ellie Oleson CORRESPONDENT

The coming winter is likely to be a chilly one inside many homes, prompting concerns that the high cost of heating could result in health, safety and widespread economic problems, local and state officials say.

“No matter how you heat your home, you will pay more this year. The outlook is grim,” said Michael D. Goodman, director of economic and public policy research at the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute.

The institute predicts that fuel oil will cost Massachusetts residents $1.4 billion more this year than last year. 

“Every dollar spent on fuel is one less spent on the local economy,” he said. “This strain on spending at local restaurants, grocery stores, movie theaters and so on will slow the state’s economy, while sending our money overseas to those who sell us the fuel,” Mr. Goodman said. (more…)

The following article was written by a reporter from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette and published Friday, August 22, 2008. It is surely most telling.

Service agencies get calls for aid

By Paula J. Owen CORRESPONDENT

People working with area seniors say they are experiencing a record level of requests for help with fuel costs this year.

They are hoping the state will expand its fuel assistance program and get the word out sooner than in previous years on what is available and who is eligible.

Ashburnham Council on Aging Director Mary Lee Muessel said she is getting many more calls much earlier about the state fuel assistance program and she does not have any answers to give.

“You call the number they have listed and you hear the same recording from last year,” she said. “I just keep telling them I am trying to find out.” (more…)

Today, we are extremely pleased to announce that the REAS Foundation has surpassed the 20% milestone in our fundraising efforts. In fact, we have reached 22% of our overall goal for a total of $4,400 raised in just the first few weeks of fundraising.  

Clearly, this is a tribute to the residents and businesses of Sturbridge who have thus far stepped forward to join hands among the REAS 10k Circle of Friends. With each passing day and each new member, our ability to provide assistance to Sturbridge seniors strengthens, as does our message of hope to those who see despair on the horizon.

We at the REAS Foundation extend our deepest gratitude to those of you - who despite your own burdens - have somehow found the ability to extend yourselves.  One donor, a senior herself, provided a gift of $2.00. She indicated her concern for those who might be less fortunate than her.

It’s really true, as the old proverb states, in that it does “Take a Village…”

Thomas R. Creamer
Executive Director

The following is an Op-ed written by the editor of the Boston Globe, which was published Saturday, August 9, 2008.

The Boston Globe

August 9, 2008

THE NEAR doubling of heating oil prices since last year could create a public health disaster if federal, state, and local officials do not act now to protect the most vulnerable. The country had a few days to prepare for Hurricane Katrina, and failed. It has more than three months to prepare for this frozen Katrina, and there will be no excuse this time.

While natural gas rates have also increased since last year, the most dramatic hike has been in the cost of heating oil, which is up 81 percent. Of the country’s 8 million households that heat with oil, 1 million are in Massachusetts. In recent years, about 45,000 of them have qualified for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, which is limited to families of four earning less than $41,300. With the spike in heating costs this year, many families earning above that level are going to have trouble keeping oil in their tanks. (more…)

As we are still in the construction phase of our website, some aspects of our public information flow are still a few days to perhaps weeks away. Recently, we added a Resources tab to our website, which will provide access to an array of REAS Foundation documents including our Table of Organization, which contains our functional descriptions and explanations, current committee assignments, award criteria, distribution format, applications, etc.

Presently, site visitors can access a draft of the REAS Table of Organization, as well as the REAS Leadership Doctrine.

Some of these documents will be fluid and subject to change as conditions dictate; others will be static and remain rather consistent, due to the very nature of their composition. As an organization grows, so too does its needs, commitments, responsibilities, and structure. This necessitates the ability for successful organizations to maintain and ever-increasing state of adaptability. If an organization cannot respond to evolving demands, challenges, or needs, its sustainability is questionable. (more…)