HAMPDEN – State Sen. Eric Lesser, with support from state Rep. Brian Ashe, secured a $15k earmark to fund Hampden’s Senior Center Feasibility Study.

Lesser called senior centers the “connective tissue” of communities, saying they “help elongate life, and more importantly, maintain a healthier quality of life.”

Becky Moriarty, director of the Hampden Council on Aging thanked Lesser for securing the earmark and supporting eldercare in the state senate.

 “We’re very excited about the funding. We’re hopeful that we can secure an architect,”  said Moriarty. She noted requests for proposals had already gone out.

“There’s a lot more we could be doing, a lot more we could be serving,” said Moriarty. “It’s not an overnight process but this will start the ball rolling. The future is bright for older adults.”

"I was thrilled to support Sen. Lesser’s budget amendment which will assist the town of Hampden with the cost of the study for the senior center addition,” state Rep. Brian Ashe said in a statement. “Becky Moriarty – and her staff have provided so many essential needs to the community over the years and she continues to look for ways to expand the support for the seniors in town.”

Police Chief Jeff Farnsworth also attended. He said, “Becky and her staff are our first phone call,” when the police interact with older residents. “The senior center is an extremely valuable resource for law enforcement.”

Hampden Select Board Chair Donald Davenport thanked Lesser for his support of small towns,  while Interim Town Administrator Bob Markel said, “You can have a good quality of life in the town you’ve lived in all your life.”

Lesser said, “It’s a very exciting time of life to look forward to, but there are a lot of significant challenges,” including housing, prescription costs and the cost of retirement. “The population is getting older. We need to make sure we have policies in place.”

He noted that nutritious meals, access to services and health and public safety were all issues for the aging population that senior centers help address.

Lesser told Reminder Publishing that the elderly are a very important population and that supporting them is the “right thing to do.”

“It’s very important that the government is on the side of the older population, ensuring dignity and access to services,” he said.