Sometimes, it takes a village…
Just ask Cliff Boggis and Kathleen Iannacchino, who live in town and volunteer for Seaglass Village, a community of seniors serving Marblehead, Swampscott and Nahant, who help each other maintain their independence while living in their own homes as they embark on their golden years.
“It certainly helps people have a feeling of empowerment when they can stay in their own homes as they age and know that they can call on someone to change a lightbulb, for instance,” said Iannacchino.
Seaglass Village began operating in December of 2021 and is one of 350 such villages across the country when local steering committees identified that many seniors had a strong desire to remain living at home as they aged.
The concept in Massachusetts emerged over 20 years ago in Boston with the formation of Beacon Hill Village as part of the “village movement.” Soon after, Cambridge Neighbors and Village Neighbors in western Massachusetts came to be as the national network called the Village to Village Network gained ground.
Seaglass Village operates out of Swampscott led by its new executive director, Anne Quagrello. The group has 73 volunteers, with about 30 hailing from Marblehead, serving 94 members who pay dues for the service.
Full membership is offered at $360 annually, which covers an array of services, like a ride to a medical or hairdressing appointment, a lift to the grocery store or simply for a home visit just because, as well as access to the many social events Seaglass provides. Some take advantage for the social aspect alone, which is offered at $120 per year. Operations rely almost entirely on membership dues and donations. However, just recently, Seaglass Village received a $30,000 grant from the Women’s Fund of Essex County that can be used to subsidize membership for women throughout the three communities.
Boggis, who serves on the organization’s board of directors in addition to volunteering, had a desire to give back to the town where he grew up after retiring from a long career in finance and banking, which didn’t allow him much free time, he said.
“I heard about Seaglass Village while playing bridge at the community center and it sounded like something I could do, ” said Boggis. “It really isn’t heavy lifting on my part at all, so it overwhelms me as to how appreciative those I help out are,” he said. “In many instances, I do not know the person I am helping out, but after some repeat business, you find out a lot about their lives and develop a friendship. The help means the world to them,” he said.
The majority of requests that come in are for rides, said Iannacchino, who started as a volunteer and also sits on the board. Many members, as of late, have been calling for a ride to locations in Boston and Waltham for cataract surgery, while the bulk of the calls remains for local ride requests, she said. Since volunteers are CORI checked, they are cleared to enter member homes, said Quagrello, so they can help cart groceries in or assist with a small chore in the home.
Reaping personal benefits from her volunteer work, Iannacchino also joined as a member of Seaglass Village simply for access to the social events.
“I do it for the companionship and camaraderie I experience,” said Iannacchio, who enjoys the frequent garden parties, lunch and dinner outings, movie nights and excursions to the beach that Seaglass Village volunteers provide,” she said.
But there is more work to be done, said Boggis. While the recent grant award has breathed new life into the group’s desire to expand into neighboring Salem, there remains a dire need for more volunteers.
“We suspect that there are many seniors in Salem who would benefit from our services,” said Boggis. “And the grant will certainly help us with the costs to network and promote what we are about — it will take us a long way, and we are grateful. But we can’t offer what we have if we do not have enough volunteers to fill those needs,” he said.
For more information on Seaglass Village, visit seaglassvillage.org.
