FRYEBURG — Earlier this year, Fryeburg created a new town committee with a mission to sustain and improve the community for all ages.

The committee is a branch of the wider Mount Washington Valley Age-Friendly Task Force, in partnership with the Gibson Center and other regional towns. The mission is to assess and improve key areas of concern: housing, transportation, outdoor spaces, healthcare access and intergenerational connections. These are big tasks, but overlap in many ways to support a broad spectrum of residents.

The first action of the Fryeburg Age-Friendly Community Task Force was to survey locals about community needs. With the support of a grant from the Maine AARP, the group sent out 1,900 surveys to local residents and made the survey available at the town hall, the public library and online. Over 170 surveys have been returned to date, giving the committee plenty of feedback to get started. The survey is still available online (at the town’s website, www.fryeburgmaine.org) and at the Fryeburg Public Library.

The survey targets five areas: housing, transportation, outdoor spaces, healthcare service and civic/social engagement.

Survey respondents told committee members about their homes. Responses showed that aging at home can be expensive and home modifications must be made. Respondents noted that they also value well-maintained, accessible public places like sidewalks and town buildings. The committee is working to promote smaller affordable apartments, such as the new Avesta Housing Project for fixed income seniors, and “home sharing” arrangements for people who prefer to stay in their homes longer.

The committee also hopes to partner with the Fryeburg Conservation Committee to look at accessible public parks and neighborhood green space for all ages.

The Age-Friendly survey showed that people drive well into their later years. Though unaccustomed to transit services, the committee knows that Valley residents could benefit from more options for public and private transportation. The committee is looking into volunteer-driver-based transit services, which match riders with vetted drivers to provide rides to appointments, shopping and other area trips.

The new Fryeburg Recreational Center is also considering a minibus grocery trip for Fryeburg residents, who can’t drive or prefer to drive less. These Good Samaritan services will hopefully ease the burden of emergency transit provided by Fryeburg Rescue.

Regarding connections and support for others, respondents overwhelmingly asked for more — more opportunities to connect with neighbors and friends; more information about volunteering in the Valley; and more affordable community activities.

As a result, FAFT is developing a Valley Volunteers list of organizations which need able hands and helpers to serve their mission. The committee hopes this list will also lead to a Volunteer Fair in the near future. The fair will be an event where volunteers can meet and match their skills and passions to the many service organization in Fryeburg and the Valley. From transportation, to pet care, to home maintenance, to tax prep, there are many ways to help your community.

Students in the community often lead us to be better community servants, and students will be spearheading the first FAFT volunteer event — Sand & Salt Buckets for Seniors. Volunteers will deliver five-gallon buckets to needy people for the upcoming snow and ice season. If you are over 65 or if you have a disability that makes it hard to pick up a free bucket from the town, you may call Kelly Woitko at the Fryeburg Town Office (207) 935-2805, to order a bucket for delivery.

And if you wish to volunteer as a driver or delivery person, please contact Fryeburg Recreation Director Rick Buzzell at (207) 935-3933.

Fryeburg’s Age-Friendly committee was established by Selectboard member Kimberly Clarke and is now chaired by Fryeburg Academy teacher Greg Huang-Dale. Other members include: David Chaffee, Jo-Ann Harris, Kristen Charette, Peter O’Brien and Kelly Woitko.

Drop the group a note at the Fryeburg Town Office, 16 Lovewell Pond Rd, ME 04037, or contact FAFT secretary Jo-Ann Harris by phone at (617) 840-9899. Your support makes the community stronger!