All Buckham West members are invited to attend our Annual Membership Meeting on Wednesday, December 16th. In accordance with our Bylaws, we are required to host this meeting in order to conduct the official business of the organization. Because our building is currently closed to public gatherings due to the COVID-19 state guidelines, this year’s meeting will look somewhat different.

If you are a current Buckham West member and would like to participate this year, we invite you to join us virtually via Zoom. The login number and password that you need is available by calling us at 332-7357 or emailing me at mkaiser@buckhamwest.org. The meeting begins at 1:30, with the Zoom room opening at 1:15. If you do not have the capability to participate with us in this virtual setting, please contact us and we will provide you with the minutes of the meeting.

The meeting will consist of a brief summary of the financial status of the organization, a recap of the year’s programming activities and also an election to the Board of Directors.

 

Programming Changes

As was done earlier in the year, we again must adjust our schedule in order to comply with the new state mandate as it relates to the Covid-19 pandemic. As of Friday, November 20th, we have made changes to some of the services and programs that we started to implement. Keeping our members and staff safe is our #1 priority and so the following adjustments are being made.

  • Coffee Shop- closed to the public until further notice.
  • Foot Clinic- these appointments will continue as scheduled
  • Curbside and Meals on Wheels food programs- will continue as always.
  • Meditation, Caregiver Support Group, Writing Group- paused until further notice
  • Health Insurance Counseling- these appointments will continue as scheduled
  • Will Clinic will continue as scheduled at this point.
  • Fashions on Central, our gently-used clothing store, will continue to be open with limited hours. This statewide closure does not impact retail stores. Our store’s hours are Tuesdays and Saturdays from 11am-5pm.

Please keep safe, call us if you need anything and watch for us to re-open to the public again soon!

 

Wills for Seniors

If you don’t have a will, health care directive or financial Power of Attorney now is your chance to get those important documents completed. A Virtual Will Clinic is being offered through Southern MN Regional Legal Service (SMRLS) for qualifying low-income seniors.  SMRLS will assist in drafting your documents prior to the clinic. A volunteer attorney will review your documents. Buckham West will assist with getting them notarized- at no cost to you. You will leave the clinic with all three completed legal documents.

The Virtual Clinic will be held at the Buckham West on Tuesday, December 15th.  Registration is being done by SMRLS staff and can be done by calling Thomas Krause at 507-454-6660 to request a time slot for the Buckham West Will Clinic.  No registrations will be made at Buckham West. All participants must meet income guidelines

 

End of the Year Gifts

Many people wait until the end of each year to make their charitable donations. If you have it in your heart to make a gift to Buckham West, this year it would be even more appreciated. Since we have not been able to host our traditional fundraisers, due to the COVID pandemic, we are not able to raise all of the funds for operational expenses as we typically do.

If you are willing to make a tax-deductible gift please mail or drop off your gift to Buckham West at 19 Division St. West. Thanks in advance for your generosity!

 

Reminders:

  • The Advance Care Planning workshop which was planned for this month has been postponed. We will announce a new date after the first of the year.
  • Keep in mind that Fashions on Central is open on Saturdays and Tuesdays each week from 11am-5pm.
  • If you are a Rice County resident who is living independently and are looking for help with fall clean up and snow removal, you are encouraged to call Family Service Rochester at 507-287-2010. This is their main office line, with local services providers right here in Rice County. These services will be at a reduced cost and in some cases may even be free.