In case you didn't see the iberkshires piece on the Boston Post Cane -http://www.iberkshires.com/story/56816/Williamstown-Honors-101-Year-Old-With-Boston-Post-Cane.html

Williamstown Honors 101-Year-Old With Boston Post Cane

By Rebecca Dravis

iBerkshires Staff

01:57PM / Wednesday, March 07, 2018Print Story | Email Story

WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Filomena Demo knows how she has managed to live to the age of 101.

"I don't worry," she said. "I pray for everyone. I thank God."

Demo shared her wisdom on Tuesday during a ceremony presenting her with the town of Williamtown's Boston Post Cane, which recognizes her as the town's oldest resident. She turns 102 next month.

The Boston Post Canes were originated by the now-defunct Boston Post in the early 1900s and were given to towns across Massachusetts and beyond to honor each town's oldest resident as a marketing ploy. With Tuesday's ceremony, Williamstown's cane has now been passed on 13 times since it was rediscovered buried in an attic in 2001 after having been missing for many years.

Because the canes have a tendency to disappear, the special gold-tipped wooden cane actually stays in the possession of the Williamstown Council on Aging, Executive Director Brian O'Grady said. Demo gets to keep a certificate instead, with which she was presented Tuesday during a ceremony at the Williamstown Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation, where she has resided since 2014.

"She's wonderful," Janice Paquette, activity director of Williamstown Commons, said of Demo, whom the Commons staff was excited to be able to honor. "It's always a surprise to know that this (oldest) resident of Williamstown resides with us."

Demo was flanked on Tuesday by her sons Sergio, and his wife, Gail, and Wyatt. Sergio Demo said his mother lived most of her life in North Adams, primarily as a homemaker but also in some mill jobs, too. He recalled what a "fantastic cook" his mother was.

She was one of seven children — five girls and two boys, he said. She is the second oldest child; three of her sisters, all in their 90s, are still alive as well, and the fourth sister just died in February at the age of 97, he said.

"Longevity is in her genes," he said. "She doing well for 102."

Demo said he did not know about the Boston Post cane before he learned his mother would be honored with it but that it was very special.

"It's a great tradition," he said. "I thought it was a great honor."

As for Filomena herself, she had two simple words as she gazed at the cane on her lap.

"It's beautiful," she said.

<end of article>

Filomena Demo of Williamstown Commons was presented with the Boston Post Cane on Tuesday March 6th. At 101 years in age, she is our Town's eldest citizen and will soon celebrate her 102nd birthday- she was born on April 8th, 1916. Congratulations to Filomena and the Demo family.

Members of the Williamstown Theater Festival's Community Works program will be offering a workshop at the Harper Center on Wednesday evening, March 14th from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.. Community Works creates plays based in the Berkshires and uses local resident actors as members of the cast. It's an opportunity to come and see how Community Works functions and maybe catch the acting bug yourself-no prior experience necessary. So...whatever you had planned for next Wednesday evening cannot be as cool as this so join us!

The Age Friendly Berkshires action plan release scheduled for tomorrow, March 13th has been postponed in anticipation of snow. Rescheduled time,date and location will be announced at a future time.

Jennifer Munoz, the COA's Aging Mastery program coordinator, will be at the Harper Center on Friday March 16th to present a conversation about her time in the Central African Republic as a Peace Corps worker. Munoz lived and worked in the sub-Saharan nation for 2 years a while ago and has many slides, items and stories to tell about her experiences there. The conversation with her will kick off at 1:00 and is preceded by a pizza luncheon at noon. All are welcome, just let us know if you're coming for lunch. 458.8250

Speaking of Aging Mastery, that program begins on Thursday March 15th and will run through Thursday May 17th. Aging Mastery is a program designed to empower older adults to make and maintain small but impactful changes in behavior in order to live more satisfying lives. Guest speakers will present seminars on valuable subjects including improving sleep quality, exercise, healthy eating, meds management, future planning and healthy relationships among others. The class is limited to 15 participants per session and as this is written there is one solitary slot left. call the Harper Center for information.