MWCC's weekly e-newsletter

Friday, Jan. 13, 2006

MWCC’S SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES PARTNERS WITH FAMILY PHARMACY

TO HELP SENIOR CITIZENS WITH MEDICARE PART D

By Kimberly B. Caisse

	Matt Moen, a pharmacist with Family Pharmacy, (standing) and Deborah Orre, dean of the School of Health Sciences, (far right) assist, from left, Stanley Koczan, Nellie Koczan and Lois Gronlund, all of Gardner, with Medicare Part D.

Members of the School of Health Sciences staff and pharmacists with Family Pharmacy of Gardner helped local senior citizens investigate the options of and, in a few cases, enroll in the new Medicare Part D prescription drug benefit in a computer lab at the main campus Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Medicare Part D, which took effect Jan. 1, requires beneficiaries to choose a prescription coverage plan and enroll by May 15 or face a 1 percent per month penalty. Medicare recipients also have to determine if they are impacted by Part D’s other provisions.

The School of Health Sciences staff and Family Pharmacy pharmacists wanted to use their computer skills to help local senior citizens learn more about the Part D plans and enroll them in one of the options, if they were ready to do so. Senior citizens have been encouraged to enroll online, a challenge for those unfamiliar with computers and the Internet.

The School of Health Sciences may hold another information session in April. To learn more, area Medicare recipients may contact Gail Jaillet at (978) 630-9265 or gjaillet@mwcc.mass.edu.

ETHAN STONE TO RELEASE SINGLE ‘TOO LATE’
AT THE MWCC BENEFIT CONCERT

By Kimberly B. Caisse

Local musician Ethan Stone will release his latest single “Too Late” at the college’s Hurricane Katrina benefit concert tonight at 7 in the theatre at the Gardner campus.

	As this photo of a devastated Long Beach, Mississippi, restaurant shows, residents of the Gulf Coast are starting to rebuild with a sense of hope and humor. The Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative is responding the crisis by giving free care and medicine. Still, SeMRHI's Hope Braley told WXLO Wednesday, Jan. 11 that things will never be the same there. Buy your tickets today.

Stone has pledged to donate 40 percent of the night’s sales of the single to the concert beneficiary, Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative. “Too Late” is the first track off Stone’s upcoming album “A Different Way” to be released. The full-length CD is scheduled for release in the spring.

Joining Stone on the Theatre at the Mount stage tonight will be guitarist Vanessa Gallagher of Atlanta, and local musicians Chris “Captian” Coombs on guitar, Adam Bergeron on keyboard, percussion and acoustic guitar, and Chris Goldman on bass.

Athol-based vocalist/acoustic guitarist Ray Hendricks will be joined by guitarist Pat Patterson, bassist Chris O'Brien and drummer Dan Thompson. Hendricks will soon release the full-length CD “Beyond the Basement,” which features the single “Coattails of Love” being played on college and independent radio stations.

“The college is so proud to host a night of great music for such an important cause,” said MWCC President Daniel M. Asquino. “The national effort to rebuild the Gulf Coast has just begun, and this concert will help the Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative clinics with the climbing cost of treating hurricane victims for free.”

“Ethan has set a great example by offering to donate some of his music sales Friday night to this humanitarian organization,” Asquino added.

“I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to release my brand new CD single, ‘Too Late,’ at this special concert at the Mount,” Stone said. “For me, this concert and the CD single release are a match made in heaven, as I am committed to doing my best to make the world a better place through my music.”

In addition to donating 40 percent of the profits from on-site sales of “Too Late” at the concert to the Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative, Stone will be available to personalize and autograph all the copies sold at the show.

“I hope others decide to make substantial donations to the Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative,” Stone said. “These are real human beings in way over their heads, and personally I feel it is my duty to help any way I can. I’m just glad to have the opportunity to make a meaningful contribution."

General admission tickets are $15; $10 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the door before the show. Theatre doors open at 6:30 p.m.

The event is being co-sponsored by MWCC’s Hurricane Relief Committee, the MWCC Alumni Association, C.A.R.S. and The Eagle 99.9.

Other MWCC News :

• MWCC will host a performance of the local Ethan Stone Band tonight at 7. (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.) Designed to benefit Hurricane Katrina disaster relief, the show will also feature local musician Ray Hendricks. Proceeds from this event will benefit the Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative (SeMRHI), a group of 12 health care clinics in Mississippi. The clinics are treating Mississippi residents who are rebuilding their lives following Hurricane Katrina and those who were displaced by the disaster. General admission tickets are $15 each. Student tickets are $10 each. Tickets are on sale now: at the Theatre at the Mount box office, by calling the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403 and at the door before the show.

• The Fitness & Wellness Center is hosting several sessions of “Healthy Mind Healthy Body…Making the Connection,” a presentation by Jeff St. Laurent, for people wondering how to unleash their best year ever in 2006. St. Laurent is the founder of JSL Coaching as well as a nationally recognized trainer, speaker and coach. Presentations will be held Saturday, Jan. 14 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and Tuesday, Jan. 17 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. The cost is only $27 for Fitness Center members and $30 for nonmembers. To register, call the Fitness Center at (978) 630-9212.

• The Institute for Nonprofit Development at MWCC will host the Many Hats Discussion “The Drucker Self-Assessment” Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 8 to 10:30 a.m. in the Murphy Conference Room at the college’s Gardner campus. The workshop is free and for institute members only. The basis of the Drucker Self-Assessment Tool is five questions every successful organization should be able to answer: What is our mission? Who is our customer? What does the customer value? What are our results? What is our plan? To register or to become a member of the institute, contact Joanne Foster at jfoster@mwcc.mass.edu.

• Golf lessons, directed by Mike Eagan, a PGA professional, will begin the week of Feb. 27 at the Fitness & Wellness Center. Participants need to bring their own clubs. The Fitness Center also has clubs available. Beginner, intermediate and advanced sessions will be held on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:15 or 8:15 p.m. The cost is only $85 per session. Fitness & Wellness Center members are eligible for 10 percent discount. To register, call the Fitness Center at (978) 630-9212.

• MWCC’s new Center for Democracy & Humanity and The Gardner News will co-sponsor a candidates debate for the 2nd Worcester District special election on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m. (The election is Feb. 7.) The debate will take place in the commons area of MWCC’s main campus. The public is encouraged to attend. Admission is free. For more information, contact Kimberly B. Caisse at MWCC at (978) 630-9547 or Gardner News Evening Managing Editor Stewart Norwood at (978) 632-8000.

• Register now for softball clinics for girls ages seven to 12 offered by the Fitness & Wellness Center. Directed by Galaxy U14 and U12 coaches, the sessions will cover fundamentals of hitting, fielding and pitching in the game of women’s softball. Clinics will be held on Sundays March 5, 12, 19, 26 and April 2. The cost is only $60. Call the Fitness Center at (978) 630-9212 to register.

• Theatre at the Mount kicks off its 2006 season with “Big River, the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” in late February. Audiences will also see performances of “Urinetown,” “Noises Off,” “Tommy!” and “A Broadway Christmas.” Season tickets for all five shows are only $65 and are on sale now. To purchase season tickets or request a season brochure, call the Theatre at the Mount box office at (978) 632-2403. Tickets may also be purchased online at http://theatre.mwcc.edu.

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