Yes, there are plenty of good things going on, around Ocean Shores. Such as local fisherman Tom Iman bringing these salmon monsters to the Good Neighbor Senior Center yesterday (Arnold Samuels dashed home and got his camera to  document it) . . .

TOM IMAN salmon web

. . . which Bobby Seely cooked up for today’s lunch

salmon cooked web

From Ed Hoffmann, Washington Aging In Place Council, (800) 475-7400:

“Next Wednesday, the 17th of June, four local organizations will sponsor a free Aging In Place event, to advocate for seniors who want to live comfortably and safely in their own homes. The event will begin at 10 am in the Harry Thompson Lions Club building, 832 Ocean Shores, Blvd NW, in Ocean Shores, and last until 2 pm. The main portion of the event will feature five local professionals from five different industries speaking on trends, services and products specifically designed to help older homeowners.

The previous post takes you to a long questionnaire, with various assistance programs (including health, rent, etc.). Here is information just on LIHEAP  (Low-Income Energy Assistance Program

Do You Need LIHEAP Assistance?

The Campaign for Home Energy Assistance is a coalition representing advocates for LIHEAP — both social service agencies and utility associations — and works in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the program nationally and ensure that it receives adequate federal funding. 
We are not involved in the day-to-day operations of energy assistance programs in any state. 
For that reason, we are unable to answer questions about individual states’ programs, expedite the application process or serve as an intermediary regarding issues at the local level.
Although the Campaign does not deal directly with individuals’ LIHEAP requests, there are 
sources to which you can turn for assistance.

The LIHEAP Clearinghouse provides free telephone and e-mail referrals to people who want to know where to apply for low- income energy assistance. Those seeking help can call the National Energy Assistance Referral (NEAR) project toll-free at 1-866-674-6327 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. (Eastern Time) or email NEAR at energyassistance@ncat.org. Please include your city, county and state in your email message.

With sub-freezing temperatures expected this weekend, if you are a senior (or know one who this might benefit), there may be energy assistance available, according to this press release:

 Dropping temperatures as winter approaches is a time to remember that no one should have to choose between staying warm and paying for food, rent, medicine or other essentials. Unfortunately, many older people on fixed or dwindling incomes are faced with just such choices.

The good news is that the Federal government has just released $5.1 billion from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to assist eligible low-income households in meeting their heating and other energy needs. And finding out if you qualify is easy, thanks to a free and confidential online service called BenefitsCheckUp, provided by the National Council on Aging (NCOA), at www.BenefitsCheckUp.org.  In addition to seeing if you qualify for energy assistance, people can consider the following tips for lowering energy bills: 

1. Turn down the thermostat; especially when you leave your house for awhile. You can save up to five percent on your energy bill for each degree of temperature change.