Belchertown Senior Center Reports Record 654 Congregate Meals in March

BELCHERTOWN — April 22, 2026 — Belchertown Senior Center reports record 654 congregate meals in March and restructures its annual holiday bazaar. The Council on Aging advisory board met April 22 and accepted a director's report showing 654 congregate meals served in March — the highest figure in the director's tenure — along with more than 2,400 home-delivered Meals on Wheels meals and 48 medical transportation rides under the center's grant program, nearly double February's count. The Belchertown Senior Center Community Association voted at its April 7 meeting to move its holiday bazaar from the first Saturday in November to December 5, reduce its basket count from roughly 60 to a smaller number of higher-value items, and reinstate a bake sale, changes driven by declining volunteers and rising basket costs. Staff liaison Nicole reported that Country Bank declined a table-donation request and that replacing all dining tables with ADA-compliant models would cost approximately $17,000; Community Preservation Committee funding was floated as a possible source. Board members agreed to begin rotating attendance at monthly BSCCA meetings after acknowledging the liaison role had lapsed, with two members committing to the May 5 and June 2 meetings, and Nicole introduced Justin Ruby as the town's new veterans service agent, replacing Charlie Roque.