State official to hold community forum

Kevin Burke, secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, will host a community forum on Monday, May 18, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Andover's School Committee meeting room on the School Administration Building's second-floor, above the senior center, behind Town Offices.

The forum is one of 36 being held around the state this month, organized to discuss the current economic climate and how it effects state-level government decisions. The governor, lieutenant governor and the administration's senior officials will be hosting the forums through the end of May.

As a steep decline in revenue continues to force painful budget choices, now is the time for public officials to engage with the public we serve to ask them what kind of government they want and how to best pay for it," Gov. Deval Patrick said in a release. "These forums will help us accomplish that critical goal, and bring the reform people want back to Beacon Hill."

For more information about Patrick's proposed reforms, visit www.mass.gov/governor/reform. Dates, times, locations and administration hosts for other forums can be found at www.mass.gov/governor/forum. Summaries of the forums, along with videos and questions, will be posted here as well. To attend a forum or find more information, visit the Web site or call the governor's office at 617-725-4025.

Town Meeting

The annual town meeting will be held in the Town of Andover on May 26 and May 27 at the Andover High School Collins Field House and if needed, May 28 at the Collins Center at Andover High School on Shawsheen Road. The meetings will start at 7 each evening. A shuttle bus will be available on May 26 and May 27 from the parking lots. Shuttle service will start at 6:15 p.m. and will discontinue after the meeting closes. Upon request, sign language interpreters, material on tape, and other auxiliary aides and services will be provided to ensure effective communications as specified in the American with Disabilities Act. The last day to register to vote for the annual Town Meeting is Wednesday, May 6. The Town Clerk's Office will be open for new registrations from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. All registered voters who attend town meeting will need to be checked into the meeting in the lobby of Andover High School on May 26 and 27, and the lobby of the Collins Center on the May 28. Visit online at www.andoverma.gov to search your precinct number under Town Clerk/"Precinct Search" to avoid delays at the check-in area. The Finance Committee Book will be mailed to each household no later than May 16. For more information, call the town clerk's office at 978-623-8258.

Community college info

Northern Essex Community College will hold two evening information sessions designed especially for high school seniors and their parents on the Haverhill campus. The information sessions will be held on May 20 and May 27, at 6 p.m. in the Behrakis One-Stop Student Center, 100 Elliott St., Haverhill. "Many high school seniors are making their college decisions now," says Charles Diggs, director of NECC's enrollment services and recruitment. "We want to be sure they consider starting at Northern Essex. These information sessions will give them information about our programs, including transfer opportunities."

The college offers certificate and associate degree programs leading to careers in health care, technology, criminal justice, and more, as well as transfer programs that allow a student to complete the freshman and sophomore year at Northern Essex and then transfer to a four-year institution. Our students are transferring to public colleges and universities as well as private institutions," says Diggs. "They end up with a bachelor's degree from the four-year college and a lot less debt than their peers.

The college will also offer special registration weeks for high school seniors, June 1-5 and June 8-12. High school seniors are invited to register early and get the best choice of classes.

For more information about the information sessions for high school students, contact enrollment services at 978-556-3700 or admissions@necc.mass.edu.

With campuses in Haverhill and Lawrence and extension sites in Andover and Methuen, Northern Essex Community College is a state-assisted college, offering over 70 associate degree and certificate programs as well as hundreds of noncredit courses designed for personal enrichment and career growth. Close to 13,000 students ranging from recent high school graduates to workers employed locally attend classes days, evenings, and weekends. Northern Essex is the only state college located in the lower Merrimack Valley Region of Massachusetts.

May health clinics

The Andover Health Department will offer a mini clinic on Monday, May 18, from 1 to 2 p.m. at Frye Circle. Senior clinics will be held 2 to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays, May 13, 20 and 27. No appointment is necessary.

Cyclists raise money for Jimmy Fund

Register to ride in the 30th annual Pan-Massachusetts Challenge by logging on to www.pmc.org. Open to 5,500 cyclists, the PMC will be held Aug. 1 and 2. The PMC raises millions for the Jimmy Fund, which supports cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The ride offers seven routes that range from 47 to 190 miles. Ride in honor of those being treated for cancer, or in memory of those lost to the disease. Ride for your own health. Ride to raise crucial funds for cancer care and research. To date, the PMC has raised more than $240 million for the world-renowned cancer center. Support services, meals and overnight accommodations will be provided. Spaces go quickly, so register early. For more information, or to register, visit www.pmc.org, or call 800-WE-CYCLE.

Urgent need for volunteers to help foster children

Volunteers are needed in the Haverhill area to help review cases of children who have suffered from abuse and neglect. In Massachusetts approximately 11,000 children who have been abused or neglected are living in foster homes or group care placements. By law, each child's case is reviewed every six months to ensure that necessary services are being provided and appropriate goals are made. This review is conducted by a three member panel which includes a volunteer from the community. Every day the Department of Children and Families makes important decisions about children's lives and their futures. Local citizens are needed who can offer independent, objective input, and help develop the best possible service plans for helping children in foster care. Persons interested in becoming a volunteer case reviewer need to be 18 or older, participate in a 1 1/2 day training session and commit to reviewing at least one case per month over a one year period. Reviews are held at local DCF offices, weekdays, between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Make a difference in a child's life. For an application or nformation, call Kim Sheppard, volunteer coordinator at 617-748-2294 or Vivian Davidovich, director of volunteer services, at 617-748-2282 or 800-423-2022.

Volunteers needed for North Shore Arthritis Walk

Arthritis affects 1.5 million people, or one in five adults and 5,900 children in Massachusetts. It's the nation's No. 1 cause of disability. Join North Shore residents to help find a cure. Volunteers are needed to assist the Arthritis Foundation with the sixth annual North Shore Arthritis Walk being held at Lynch Park in Beverly on Sunday, May 17. Volunteers are needed to help plan the logistics of the event, as well as to aid in the recruitment of walkers. Help is also needed for the day of the arthritis walk. The arthritis walk is a community event for all ages and abilities. Included in the event will be children's activities, food, special guests and a post-walk party. For information, call 800-766-9449, ext.134 or mhalpin@arthritis.org. Visit the Arthritis Walk Web site at www.northshorearthritiswalk.org

Elder Services needs certified SHINE counselors

Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley is looking for volunteers to become certified SHINE counselors. Counselors provide no-cost health care information, assistance and counseling to Medicare beneficiaries of all ages. Individuals are required to complete the 50-hour certification program that prepares them to communicate accurate up to date information during counseling sessions. Volunteers must be willing to make a commitment to the program for three-to-four hours each week.

SHINE training is being offered on various days in  May. All trainings begin at 10 a.m. at the Elder Services offices, 360 Merrimack St., Building 5 in Lawrence. Contact Gerry Proulx of Elder Services at 978-946-1445 for dates and times of the trainings.

Free 'Choosing Hospice' booklets

"Choosing Hospice," a guide to specialized care for the terminally ill, is available for free from VNA Care Network and Hospice, a nonprofit agency that provides physical, emotional, practical and spiritual support to terminally ill patients and their families in Eastern and Central Massachusetts. The booklet answers common questions about hospice and gives a list of resources. To receive a free copy of the guide, call VNA Care Network and Hospice at 800-728-1862 or e-mail info@vnacarenetwork.org. Visit www.vnacarenetwork.org.