AMHERST — Dorothy D. Gavin, who since 1999 has been financially supporting nursing services for Amherst’s senior citizens and who was the first tenant at Applewood Retirement Community in 1991, is being recognized as the town’s oldest resident.
Gavin, who turned 100 this month, recently received the Boston Post Gold Cane Award during a presentation featuring town officials, including Helen MacMellon, interim director of the Senior Center, and Town Manager Paul Bockelman. Gavin is the 24th resident to be honored with the cane.
Before the ceremony in which she was given the cane and a plaque, University of Massachusetts Minutemen cheerleaders and the UMass Minuteman Marching Band came to fete her, and she got to see the 2021 NCAA Hockey championship trophy. A native of Brattleboro, Vermont, Gavin graduated from Massachusetts State College in 1943.
The cane is presented to the oldest resident who has lived in Amherst for at least 10 years and is willing to accept the honor. The previous recipient, Fred Filios, died in August 2020 after holding the cane since the fall of 2018.
Gavin and her husband, Joseph, who died in 2010, have provided $10,000 each year to keep the nursing center staffed in Amherst. In 2019, Senior Health Services was renamed Joseph G. Gavin Jr. and Dorothy D. Gavin Senior Health Services for their contributions.
Early voting for the Nov. 2 town election will be held at Town Hall from Oct. 25 to Oct. 29 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., with hours extended to 8 p.m. on Oct. 28.
Voting will take place in the first floor meeting room for registered voters from any of the town’s 10 precincts.
The election features contests for townwide seats on the Town Council, council seats in Districts 3 and 4, the School Committee, the Housing Authority and Elector under the Oliver Smith Will.
The Town Council, beginning its annual evaluation of Town Manager Paul Bockelman, is inviting comments from the public to be submitted by Oct. 29 at 4 p.m.
Once the comments are received, along with individual councilor evaluations, a memo will be released regarding Bockelman’s performance and then a decision will be made regarding his compensation.
Submissions may be made on the engageamherst.org website, sent by email to towncouncil@amherstma.gov or in writing to the Town Hall, to the attention of Council President Lynn Griesemer.
The Amherst Education Foundation’s 27th annual Trivia Bee will be a virtual competition via Zoom, emceed by state Rep. Mindy Domb and Tony Maroulis of W.D. Cowls.
The bee is being held Oct. 28 at 6:30 p.m. To sign up to play or participate in the raffle, go to bit.ly/triviabee2021.
The basketball courts at Mill River Recreation Area are reopening Saturday.
The Department of Public Works is painting temporary lines on the renovated courts, where new asphalt was put down. The project will be finished in the spring.
As free lunches and breakfasts continue to be offered to all students, families received a message recently from the Food and Nutrition Department asking for patience and alerting them to possible shortages of some items.
Mike Gallo O’Connell, the food and nutrition director, wrote that quick substitutions may happen and that updated menus will be provided as soon as possible.
“Nationwide shortages and delays have affected availability of certain food items, leading to substitutions of menu items we’ve been able to offer regularly in the past,” O’Connell wrote. “These supply issues are occurring throughout the country and are especially challenging for school systems, due to the quantity of meals we serve and the nutrition standards we follow.”
O’Connell added that the top priority continues to be providing healthy, nutritious and appetizing meals.
“The good news is that free breakfast and lunch will continue throughout the school year, so please stick with us while we face yet another challenge.”
MONDAY: Public Art Commission, 4 p.m., and Town Council, 6:30 p.m., both virtual via Zoom.
TUESDAY: Community Resources Committee, 2 p.m., and Dog Park Task Force, 7 p.m., both virtual via Zoom.
