‘ABC and D’s of Medicare” workshop

If the vexing questions about Medicare insurance leave you scratching your head, you have a chance to learn more about the complex world of Medicare and its insurance supplements. The Benton and Linn County Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance (SHIBA) program is offering free public workshop to help answer your questions.

The two hour classes are being offered at no cost. The topics will include a discussion of the costs and covered benefits of Parts A, B and D; how and when to enroll; Medicare supplements, prescription plans and what is new for 2010. SHIBA volunteers will be available to answer your questions.

In Benton County: The workshop is held on October 20 and 27 at the Corvallis Senior Center from 6:00 to 8:00pm. The Corvallis Chintimini Senior Center is located at 2601NW Tyler Avenue.
In Linn County: The two hour classes are being offered at no cost on November 3 and 10 at the Albany Main Library from 4:00 to 6:00pm. The Albany Main Library is located at 2450 14th Avenue SE.

The first and second workshops will cover uniquely different information on each date. Seat reservations are required for handout materials. To reserve your seat, please call the RSVP office at 812-0849.Space is first-come, first-served.

Linn-Benton RSVP, a program of Community Services Consortium, is the sponsor of the local SHIBA program, the Corvallis Chintimini Senior Center and the Albany Main Library are co-sponsors of these events.

Free classes show the ropes to maximizing financial health

Time commitment, willingness are the only prerequisites

ALLYSON LONGUEIRA
The News Guard

Six hours in a classroom might not top the list of fun things to do on a Saturday, especially not two Saturdays in a row. But if those 12 total hours are spent with Karen Ramsden in her Financial Fitness class, they could be some of the most productive.Just ask Robin Rhyner, 39, of Lincoln City. She attended the class in April and said it was a real eye-opener.

(Follow the link to read the rest of the story)

http://thenewsguard.com/main.asp?SectionID=7&SubSectionID=7&ArticleID=9152

Local Businesses Respond to Hard Times

Linn Benton Food Share thanks the following local businesses for holding food drives, fundraising activities or donating money during September, October and November. The food and money to buy food will be used locally for people who need it during this critical time of economic instability.

Thank you to: Corvallis Clinic; Selco Credit Union; Albany, London’s Auto, Corvallis; Heritage Mall Craft Fair in Albany on October 8th – 11th; Block 15, Corvallis event this past September; The Magic Barrel, an annual celebration of live literature that raises funds to help fight hunger in our local area on October 24th at Corvallis High School; Blackledge Furniture, Corvallis, will donate a percentage of their profits during November; Wallgreens Drugstore, Albany.

Linn Benton Food Share is part of Community Services Consortium. Linn Benton Food Share procures and distributes almost 5 million pounds of food annually through their 74 non-profit agencies, which include emergency food pantries, soup kitchens, gleaning groups, and homeless and transitional shelters. They serve low and very low-income people such as seniors on fixed incomes and working families who lack the resources to purchase food. Forty seven percent of the households served had at least one member working.

Report offers look at Head Start services

http://www.newportnewstimes.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&story_id=21546&page=72