Holiday Luncheon

On Tuesday, December 4th, Cambridge at Home members enjoyed a delicious lunch

at Chez Henri in Cambridge, with a total of 46 members in attendance. The restaurant

opened its doors specifically for CAH as an entirely private event! The cost to members

was $15 per person, with the remainder of the costs graciously covered by Privatus Care

Solutions and Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers. Chez Henri, which is located between Harvard

and Porter squares, offers a selection of French fare with a Cuban twist. Chef and owner,

Paul O'Connell, made an appearance to personally welcome the group and to talk a bit

about the foods being served. Members had the option of choosing from a prix fixe menu,

enjoying an appetizer, main course, and dessert, along with wine. It was a lovely time had

by all; a great opportunity to catch up with old friends in the holiday spirit.

Tony Kahn shares his stories

It was fascinating to learn about the context in which these stories were recorded, hear the recordings, and share reactions and questions after listening. Tony is now offering to record stories from our membership if people are interested in participating. If you are a Cambridge At Home member and are interested in this opportunity, please contact our office: 617-864-1715. If you want to listen to some of Tony's stories online, check out his website at http://www.tonykahn.com

Meeting with Senator Patricia Jehlen & Victoria Halal

One of the Bay State's leading policy-makers for people over 65 visited the Fresh Pond Mall headquarters of Cambridge at Home on Oct. 23. Senator Patricia D. Jehlen, chair of the Commonwealth's Joint Committee on Elder Affairs, heard about our organization's history and practices from Executive Director Kathleen Spirer and Trustees Shippen Page, Kristin Mortimer, Steve Stadler, and Ruth and Victor McElheny. The Senator discussed many issues, including the relevance of non-profit 'Age-in-Community' organizations in promoting elders' health.

Accompanying Senator Jehlen was Victoria A. Halal, Committee Director in Senator Jehlen's office.

Representing the Second Middlesex Senate District (Winchester, Medford, and Somerville) since 2005, Senator Jehlen sponsored bills to extend hospice care to the Basic and Essentials programs of MassHealth and to develop 1,000 units of 'supportive housing' designed to maintain independence for modest-income people. Both were signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick in 2012. Also this year, her district was extended to Wards 9, 10, and 11 of Cambridge. She and her husband Alain reside in Somerville. Previous to her Senate service, Jehlen was a member of the Somerville School Committee in 1976-1991 and State Representative from 1991 to 2005.

House chair of the Elder Affairs Committee is State Representative Alice K. Wolf, resident and a former mayor of Cambridge.

Worcester Art Museum Trip

         On Thursday, October 18th, CAH took a day-long excursion to Worcester, MA. Members started off at the Worcester Art Museum, for a docent-led tour of their permanent art collection.  Alice Delana was an excellent guide with a contagious enthusiasm about the city and her knowledge of its past and present. Opened in 1898, the permanent collection at the Worcester Art Museum spans 5,000 years of art ranging from Impressionist paintings and contemporary art, to Roman mosaics. Current special exhibitions worth noting were the new installation of fifty works of art from the mid-20th century, as well as an exhibit entitled Kennedy to Kent State; Images of a Generation, which presented some of the most powerful photographs from the 1958 to 1975. All part of the Worcester Art Museum's permanent collection, these images were collected by Howard G. Davis as a visual representation of the era which shaped him.

Bernie Boston, Flower Power, 1967

                    

               Following the tour, CAH members enjoyed a delicious lunch and excellent service at a local seafood restaurant called The Sole Proprietor. Afterwards, all ventured on to the Higgins Armory to view a very unique collection of arms and armor from ancient Greece & Rome, Africa, the Middle East, India, Japan, and Medieval & Renaissance era Europe.


                        

The Giving Common Challenge

Cambridge at Home is pleased to announce that we will be participating in the Boston Foundation's Giving Common Challenge, which will take place over the course of 36 hours, beginning at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, October 10th and extending to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 11th. Mark your calendars because we will need your help!

We will be joining with more than 500 other nonprofits to raise money together and compete for prizes that range from $1,000 to $25,000. If CAH is one of the first 10 nonprofits to receive 50 donors, the organization will win a $1,000 prize. To maximize our chances of winning, CAH members and friends plan to make their online donation on October 10th between 6-8pm. If CAH raises more funds than other nonprofits over the entire 36 hour period, we have a chance to win a grand prize of $25,000!

Here's how you can help- mark your calendar for October 10th, 6-8pm and follow these 5 simple steps:

1) Type https://www.givingcommon.org into the search box of your web browser, or click on this link.

2) Type "Cambridge At Home" in the "By Organization Name or Keyword" box on the right side of the page.

3) Click on the first listing, Cambridge at Home.

4) On the CAH page, click the blue DONATE button on the menu bar in the middle of the page.

5) On the donate form, choose your donation amount: $25 (minimum) to $5,000 (maximum), complete the credit card information form, and then click the SUBMIT button. That's all it takes!

If you need assistance, please call the CAH office at 617-864-1715 or visit the office, and our staff can walk you through the donation process. If you prefer not to donate on the internet, you can always donate directly to CAH via check or credit card. If you are unable to donate at this time, please spread the news about how our work has influenced you to motivate your friends to donate.

Thanks so much!

Peabody Essex Museum Trip

 On Tuesday, September 25th, Cambridge at Home members participated in a day-long excursion to the Peabody Essex Museum, located in Salem. The feature of this trip was to visit the museum's special exhibit entitled "Ansel Adams; At the Water's Edge", which is currently on display until October 8th, 2012.

Ansel Adams, the renowned American Photographer, is widely known for his black and white photographs of the American West. He is an iconic figure in the art world, having captured countless breathtaking landscapes, all distinctly recognizable in style. His images all share a sense of majestic beauty, and this exhibit was no exception. Here, the viewer got a rare glimpse of how Adams regarded water via images of rivers, lakes, oceans, tide pools, rain, and even clouds, through a collection of over 100 photographs. Ansel described the topic of the series as “mysterious, ephemeral and transitory.” The exhibit combines both famous images and some lesser-known works which allow for a fresh perspective on the artist's highly successful career. 

The Tetons and the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming 1942

Reflections at Mono Lake, California, 1948

 Participants of the trip enjoyed a beautiful day in terms of weather, and a tour of the exhibit led by a very knowledgeable guide. A highlight was noted as an impressive, enormous large-scale photograph in three seemingly seamless parts which was originally commissioned by Adams for a large bank in San Francisco. Much of the group (especially the ladies!) also thoroughly enjoyed the Peabody Essex Museum's exhibit of hats, from centuries old to contemporary, ranging in style from functional to couture. With the helpful hint of a Salem local, the group was able to enjoy a tasty lunch at a nearby pub by the name of Red's sandwich shop.

 

New Friends Emerge and Old Friends Reconnect with CAH

Over the course of the last several years, events such as Coffee & Conversation have helped reconnect friends and neighbors, and facilitate new connections between members.  It has been a joy to see former college classmates find each other again.  It has also been wonderful to observe new bonds forming through CAH events and interest groups.  We have many longtime Cambridge, Belmont and Arlington residents in our community.  We also have members who are new to the area.  Several of these members have expressed that becoming involved with the CAH community has helped them feel more at home in their new environment.  We look forward to many more coffee's and informal social gatherings to come!

Fall 2012 Open House Dates

If you are interested in a CAH membership, please consider attending one of our upcoming Open Houses:

September 13 - 11:00 am
October 10 - 2:00 pm
November 3 - 11:00 am
December 4 - 1:00 pm

Please call the office at 617-864-1715 or email us at info@cambridgeathome.org to find out the location of these meetings and reserve your place. Also, if you haven't already, check out our website at http://www.cambridgeathome.org/.

CAH Explores the State House

Even though we only live a few T stops away, many of us have not stepped foot in the Massachusetts State House for years.  One of our members who is a longtime docent at the State House guided us on a wonderful tour of the building.  In addition to learning about the history of the building and the artwork housed there, we were able to witness the current action, which included on the day of our visit, a concert by Wellesley Middle School!  Following our tour, we had an elegant lunch at the Union Club of Boston in one of their private dining rooms overlooking the Boston Public Garden.  We brainstormed about future trip ideas while enjoying club sandwiches and freshly baked cookies still warm from the oven!  What a perfect day!

Are You Interested in Becoming a CAH Board Member?

Cambridge at Home (CAH) is an aging in community organization established in 2007 that serves Cambridge, Belmont, Arlington, Watertown and Somerville residents 50 . CAH is searching for Board talent to lead us through the next 10 years of operation. As the second aging in community program (village) to launch in the U.S. CAH is a model program built on a self sustaining business plan. There are now over 65 new villages nationwide and 150 more in development. Get involved in a movement that is sweeping the nation and helping many older Americans remain at home as the grow older. Board members provide oversight for a professional staff, assist with programs, member recruitment and development. The organization needs Directors with any and all of these skills: marketing, development, strategic planning, public relations, sales, legal, financial and community organizing. Put your talent to work and get involved in a new approach to retirement that keeps older people in the community where we need them!

Cambridge At Home Explores the Newly Renovated Gardner Museum

Photo credit: www.yankeemagazine.com

On Thursday, April 5 a group of Cambridge At Home members visited the Gardner Museum for a docent-led tour of the new Renzo Piano-designed wing.   The Gardner Museum is located in a stunning 15th-century Venetian-style palace with three stories of galleries. Recently, the museum was expanded to preserve this historic building and create a new space to hold concerts, classes and exhibitions.   In addition to touring the new wing, our trip was scheduled so that we would  get a glimpse of the vibrant nasturtium vines that cascade from the balconies in the sun-filled courtyard each spring.  We also had a chance to dine at Cafe G, chef Peter Crowley's revamped restaurant located in the new wing.  We look forward to returning again next spring!

CAH Member and Public Broadcasting Veteran Tony Kahn Shares His Stories

Recently a group of CAH members gathered to listen to a few of the memorable stories Tony Kahn has recorded over the course of his forty-year career in public broadcasting. Tony has produced hundreds of personal stories from everyday people for broadcast on Public Radio. Tony is a veteran of PBS, NPR, WGBH, and WBUR. He's the producer of "Blacklisted," the award-winning NPR drama of his family's fifteen-year history under the Hollywood Blacklist, and of WGBH's "Morning Stories" podcast and weekly broadcast.

It was fascinating to learn about the context in which these stories were recorded, hear the recordings, and share reactions and questions after listening. Tony is now offering to record stories from our membership if people are interested in participating. If you are a Cambridge At Home member and are interested in this opportunity, please contact our office: 617-864-1715. If you want to listen to some of Tony's stories online, check out his website at http://www.tonykahn.com

Spring 2012 Open House Dates

If you are interested in a CAH membership, please consider attending one of our upcoming Open Houses:

February 16 - 1:00 pm
March 13 - 11:00 am
April 24 - 2:00 pm
May 24 - 11:00 am
June 20 - 11:00 am

Please call the office at 617-864-1715 or email us at info@cambridgeathome.org to find out the location of these meetings and reserve your place. Also, if you haven't already, check out our website at http://www.cambridgeathome.org/.