FRYEBURG – More than 300 senior citizens from all over Oxford County gathered at the fairgrounds Friday for the 6th annual Senior Appreciation Picnic.

Sponsored by the Oxford County Sheriff Department TRIAD program, it provides an opportunity for seniors to learn about consumer protection.

They had the opportunity to visit 15 booths set up by health and social service agencies, have a free barbecue-style lunch and learn of a new program designed to help them fight fraud.

The program, Check It Out, encourages seniors to call 1-877-353-3771 to check on a business before agreeing to any contract, writing a check, agreeing to home repairs or making major purchases.

Ricker Hamilton, the protective program administrator for the southern division of Adult Protective Services, said seniors would connect with the closest agency on aging.

“If you get a lot of pressure over the phone or in person just say, ‘I’m going to check it out,'” Hamilton told seniors. “There’s a lot of legitimate businesses in Maine doing telemarketing, but some are out there just to separate us from our money,” Hamilton said. “If they are a legitimate business they will be there tomorrow.”

Oxford County Sheriff Department Administrative Assistant Linda Hooker, who is a member of SALT, Seniors and Law Enforcement Together, committee that is part of TRIAD coordinated the day. TRIAD, or The Right Information and Direction, is a partnership between law enforcement, local agencies and businesses to address crime issues affecting older citizens.

Oxford County Sheriff Lloyd Herrick noted that each year about 12,000 seniors in Maine are abused by scams or neglect. He encouraged all seniors to use the free Check It Out telephone number. He also distributed information advising actions to take when fraud is suspected.

Seniors were treated to free neck massages courtesy of Jessica Church of the Simply Relax day spa in Bridgton and had their blood pressure taken by Rhonda Jordan and Lisa Cailler, both registered nurses working for Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice in Lewiston.

While there, seniors also learned about the IRIS Network that provides a statewide audio information and reading service; Western Maine Transportation Services Inc., an agency that offers rural transportation solutions; a University of Maine Cooperative Extension Program where seniors volunteer to keep seniors company; and Community Concepts Inc., an agency that provides adult day care and fuel assistance programs. Among other agencies attending were representatives from the Red Cross, SeniorsPlus and Maine Alzheimer’s Association.

Hooker said the day would not have been possible without the help of the Fryeburg Fair Association, which donated the space.

Other contributors were: the 20th District Masonic Lodge of the Masons AF & AM of Maine, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9787 of Paris, Pepsi Cola, Northeast Bank, Ketner Pharmacy in Norway, Weston-Chandler Funeral Homes, Hannaford of Oxford and Rumford, Oxford Networks/Telcom, Poland Spring Bottling and the Maine Sheriffs’ Association.

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