SATURDAY, MAY 22nd- Yard Sale
9:00 AM TO 1:00 PM
If you would like to donate any items for the yard sale please drop it off on Thursday, May 20th & May 21st.
All proceeds go toward the New Senior Center.
CLOSED ON MONDAY, MAY 31st In observance of MEMORIAL DAY
MAY 3rd from 6AM TO 8 PM- BOROUGH OF JEWETT CITY MAY ELECTION
When you go to the polling place, please wear a mask, keep social distancing and have your currant ID ready. If you need an application for an absentee ballot, please contact the Clerk or go to griswold-ct.org, go to FORMS and download the application. Please put completed original
Application/ballot in the mail or drop box on the side of the Town Hall.
Location: GRISWOLD TOWN HALL
28 MAIN ST, MAIN MEETING ROOM
Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program
The application filing period for the Elderly and totally Disabled Tax Relief Program is from February 1 thru May 15, 2021.
Please be aware that the IRS has issued specific guidance about the 2020 stimulus payments and have stated that these payments are not categorized as income, therefore, any economic stimulus payments received during calendar year 2020 WILL NOT count as income for these tax relief programs.
Qualifying income guidelines for the Elderly and Totally Disabled Tax Relief Program are $37,600 for unmarried individuals and $45,800.00 for married persons.
If you are currently participating in the Homeowner Program and need to reapply, you will receive notice from the Preston Assessor’s Office advising you of that requirement.
Proof of all sources of income including but not limited to Social Security, pensions, interest statements, employment, etc. are required. If you filed Income Tax, a copy of the signed and dated document is necessary to provide as well. It is extremely important that you provide all necessary documentation for the application to be completed.
Due to the COVIC-19 pandemic, the application process will change this year. I will be asking you to drop-off your paperwork in the blue Drop Box located at the front entrance to the Preston Town Hall. I will review your information and contact you by telephone to complete your application. I will arrange a time that is mutually acceptable to have you return to the Preston Town Hall to sign the application(s). At which time, I will return any/all original documents which you have provided.
Please call the office at 860-887-5581 ext. 6 informing me that you dropped off your information at the Town Hall. (if leaving a phone message, please include your name and telephone number. The application process does not begin until February 1st.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED YOUR VACCINE?
DO YOU NEED HELP SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT FOR A COVID-19 VACINATION SHOT?
GIVE US A CALL AT 860-376-2604
WE CAN HELP YOU!
AARP Tax Assistance Program
Regrettably, the Preston Senior Center will not host the AARP Tax
Assistance Program during this tax season. The COVID-19 pandemic is the
primary reason. BUT existing clients will be encouraged to contact the Rose City Senior Center, 8 Mahan Drive, Norwich to receive assistance with their income tax preparation. NO NEW CLIENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED. Beginning during January, you are encouraged to contact the Rose City Senior Center at 860-889-5960 to schedule an appointment.
For those individuals who are existing clients only:
New to the process is that you will have to go to the Rose City Senior
Center at least 48 hours prior to your appointment to pick-up a booklet to be completed. (This is the same type of information that you would routinely complete at our center). You will need to complete the paperwork and include it with your income tax information. (Do not place your information in a plastic bag as the virus can live longer in that environment). It is suggested that you place your documents in a secure location within your locked vehicle trunk until the time of your appointment.
Drive-thru service will remain the same as last year. You drive up, staff will
take your paperwork out of the trunk of your car, they work on it and give you a call on your cell phone when they have questions or when your income tax is completed. Appointments will be available on Tuesday and Thursday only.
You will also need a cell phone available so that you can be contacted when
the AARP tax preparer completes your document.
Senior Center is Closed for Memorial Day on May 31, 2021.
May 2021- FROM THE DESK OF MARY JO RILEY
In tough times, communities find strength in people—and people find strength in
their communities. In the past year, we’ve seen this time and again in Groton as
friends, neighbors, and businesses have found new ways to support each other.
In our community, older adults are a key source of this strength. Through their
experiences, successes, and difficulties, they have built resilience that helps them to
face new challenges. When communities tap into this, they become stronger too.
Each May, the Administration for Community Living leads the celebration of
Older Americans Month (OAM). This year’s theme is Communities of Strength,
recognizing the important role older adults play in fostering the connection and
engagement that build strong, resilient communities.
Strength is built and shown not only by bold acts, but also small ones of day-to-day life – a conversation shared
with a friend, working in the garden, trying a new recipe, or taking time for a cup of tea on a busy day. And when
we share these activities with others—even virtually or by telling about the experience later—we help them build
resilience too.
This year, our Groton Senior Center celebrates Older Americans Month by encouraging community members to
share their experiences. Together, we can find strength—and create a stronger future.
Here are some ways to share and connect:
Look for joy in the everyday: Celebrate small moments and ordinary pleasures by taking time to recognize them. Start a
gratitude journal and share it with others via social media, or call a friend or family member to share a happy moment
or to say thank you.
Reach out to neighbors: Even if you can’t get together in person right now, you can still connect with your neighbors.
Leave a small gift on their doorstep, offer to help with outdoor chores, or deliver a home cooked meal.
Build new skills: Learning something new allows us to practice overcoming challenges. Take an art course online or try
a socially distanced outdoor movement class to enjoy learning with others in your community. Have a skill to share?
Find an opportunity to teach someone, even casually.
Share your story: There’s a reason storytelling is a time-honored activity. Hearing how others experience the world
helps us grow. Interviewing family, friends, and neighbors can open up new conversations and strengthen our
connections.
When people of different ages, backgrounds, abilities, and talents share experiences—through action, story, or
service—we help build strong communities. And that’s something to celebrate! Please join the Groton Senior
Center in strengthening our community.
Elderly/Disabled (Circuit Breaker) Property Tax Credit Program- Application Deadline May 15, 2021
Property Tax Credit (Circuit Breaker) Program is available to all CT real property owners who are age 65 or older or totally disabled. Annual income cannot exceed $37,600 for an individual or $45,800 for a couple in 2020. Discounts are based on a graduated income scale and are calculated by your town’s Tax Assessors Office. Discount is applied directly to the applicant’s real property tax bill.
Norwich Residents: To apply for the Property Tax Credit Program, complete an application at the Norwich Tax Assessor’s Office located in Norwich City Hall. Call with questions (860) 823-3723.
Applications are accepted between February 1 and May 15, 2021.
Norwich Tax Assessor
100 Broadway
Norwich, CT 06360
Veterans with established Connecticut residency may be eligible for other credits also.
Residents of other towns: Call or visit your town’s Tax Assessor’s Office for more information.