Orchard Cove

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Canton, MA
Orchard Cove

Orchard Cove is a comfortable, active retirement community on Reservoir Pond in Canton, Massachusetts.

Blooming with amenities such as an indoor pool and walking trails, Orchard Cove offers modern, well-appointed apartments, close proximity to Boston and much more. What makes our retirement community so desirable is the unique approach to senior living that informs every facet of our community; from the abundant classes and activities available - many lead by residents - to Vitality 360, our indivi

dualized health and wellness program. Our residents also benefit from on-site access to the region's most trusted continuum of senior health care from Hebrew SeniorLife, supported by Harvard Medical School-affiliated physicians. Our residents benefit from on-site access to the region’s most trusted continuum of senior health care from Hebrew SeniorLife, supported by Harvard Medical School affiliated physicians

04/27/2026

And they're off! The Orchard Cove Scholarship Committee kicked off its annual Miles for Scholarships resident fundraiser to support the Orchard Cove Scholarship Fund, which supports employees as they continue their education at a variety of colleges and universities.

"I wanted to thank all of you for your incredible support of what is one of the most special 'secret ingredients' of the Orchard Cove community. Thank you for giving back to our staff and the furthering of their education," said Orchard Cove Executive Director Aline Russotto, adding she hopes the community makes the next few weeks fun and active.

Beginning on Marathon Monday, April 20, Miles for Scholarships challenges residents to re-create the race from Hopkinton to Boylston Street at their own pace. Over the course of a month, participants strive to reach 26.2 miles through various forms of physical activity, whether it’s walking the paved paths around our campus, swimming laps in the Orchard Cove pool, participating in group exercise classes, or using one of the many exercise machines in the fitness center. Everyone who participates gets a Miles for Scholarships t-shirt.

"I'm thrilled to see so many people are already wearing their Miles for Scholarships shirts," Scholarship Committee member Abby Brown said. "This is a wonderful thing you are all doing."

The kickoff also featured a series of exercises with Carolina Pokraka, including bicep curls, knee lifts, and stretches. Pokraka, now the resident program lead for the Commons Residence at Orchard Cove, is a familiar face here, having taught exercise classes, including yoga and Zumba Gold, as a group exercise instructor for 15 years.

"The program you're doing is very important and meaningful to a lot of people," said Pokraka, who has run the Boston Marathon twice. She hoped to provide residents with some"Boston energy and enthusiasm" as they began their own personal marathons.

This year marks the fifth annual Miles for Scholarships fundraiser. The closing ceremony will feature Bill Rodgers, Olympian and four-time Boston Marathon winner, as the guest speaker.

04/24/2026

The pups were barking up the right tree at Orchard Cove! The dogs of Rosasharn Farm, a group of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, returned for another meet-and-greet with residents and staff. The dogs, including Kallie, Emma, Molly, and Colleen, have quickly become friendly and familiar faces. They were joined by a pair of baby goats less than two weeks old and a rescue terrier named Poppy.

Located in Rehoboth, Rosasharn Farm raises national champion Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats, whose milk is used to make soaps, balms, and lotions. The farm is run by Anne Petersen, daughter of Orchard Cove resident Bob Petersen.

04/23/2026

The Orchard Cove residents' Sustainability Task Force celebrated Earth Day with their annual Earth Fest. This year's theme was "Our Planet – Our Power – Our Community."

The festival included a farm stand with local goods and produce from Ward's Berry Farm and April's Maple, as well as booths by some of our partners — including DiMella Shaffer and RecycleWorks — highlighting how they help Orchard Cove operate sustainably.

Orchard Cove staff and Sustainability Task Force members were on hand to offer tips on how to easily recycle cardboard boxes, identify soft plastics, and connect with nature for health and wellness. Residents could also enjoy popcorn, ice cream, and vegetarian chili.

04/22/2026

Orchard Cove resident Florence Coslow is a dedicated participant in our long-running jewelry-making class led by instructor Paula Mazzone. Coslow joins the monthly program to work on new pieces or breathe new life into older ones.

"For me, it's as creative as you can get. Jewelry making is relaxing: you don't think of anything but the next bead to string, and we have the greatest teacher!" Coslow said.

The class meets monthly in the art studio at Orchard Cove and is one of many opportunities for residents to express themselves artistically.

04/21/2026

There are plenty of ways to stay fit and active at Orchard Cove! The Fitness Center features NuStep machines, treadmills, a Technogym strength circuit, and free weights and resistance bands for machine-free exercise. Many residents work out with Fitness Center staff through the supervised exercise program, while others participate in classes like floor yoga, Zumba Gold, tai chi, or water aerobics in our indoor swimming pool.

04/20/2026

Canton Clean Up Day is a great tradition for our town and the Orchard Cove community! A group of Orchard Cove residents and staff participated in the fifth annual event on April 6, picking up litter at the John F. Kennedy Elementary School as part of the town-wide effort led by Keep Canton Beautiful.

In total, more than 300 volunteers cleaned up 17 sites across Canton, removing hundreds of bags of trash from areas such as Devoll Field, Canton High School, and the town center.

04/17/2026

Throughout the year, Orchard Cove residents knit, crochet, and craft various handmade items for Project Linus: Greater Boston Chapter, which donates them to children in need. Residents are working on a variety of projects this year, including blankets, caps, stuffed animals, and more. They meet every other week, with many members continuing the good work between meetings. Toward the end of the year, the charitable knitters will showcase their efforts in the Orchard Cove ballroom before donating the items to Project Linus.

Named after the Peanuts cartoon character, Project Linus donates handmade goods to provide children in need with a sense of security, warmth, and comfort. Project Linus has donated more than 10.3 million blankets since its founding in 1995.

04/15/2026

What's the connection between French artist Henri Matisse and World War II?

More than 65 Orchard Cove residents heard lawyer, educator, and author Christopher Gorman discuss Matisse's artistic output during World War II. Gorman focused on "Jazz," an art book containing 20 cut-paper collages created by Matisse during the war, including "The Nightmare of the White Elephant," "The Cowboy," "Icarus," and "The Wolf." The images represent powerlessness, violence, surveillance, and hope. Gorman described "Jazz" as improvisational, democratic, and an act of defiance against the N***s.

Further details are available in Gorman's latest book, "Matisse at War: Art and Resistance in N**i-Occupied France." Gorman also wrote "The Confidante: The Untold Story of the Woman Who Helped Win WWII and Shape Modern America."

"I read this book over the weekend, and it is a fantastic read. I'm very grateful he is here this morning to talk about Matisse at War," said Orchard Cove resident Elaine Baizman when she introduced her fellow University of Michigan alumnus.

04/14/2026

The writers of Orchard Cove are looking back on their pasts for inspiration as part of a creative writing class with author Phoebe Baker Hyde. The workshop aims to guide residents through writing a "rememoir."

"There are a lot of writers out there who want to talk and want to write," Hyde said.

She said many of her students have lived interesting lives and want to tell the story of their life, family, career, or volunteer experience over wide expanses of time, but many memoirs published today take a more novelistic approach, focusing on a specific event in a person's life. A rememoir takes yet another approach.

"A rememoir is a collection of stories about your life," Hyde said, enabling the author to share longer stories through a series of shorter episodes.

Hyde is the author of the memoir "The Beauty Experiment," and her essays and stories have been published in The New York Times, LA Times Magazine, Salon, and more.

04/13/2026

Today, we mark Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, to remember the victims, honor the survivors, and pay tribute to those who risked their lives to resist N**i persecution. Holocaust survivors are cherished members of our community, and many will join with fellow residents and staff members today for our observance of remembrance.

Last month, we shared the story of our resident Edith Bard, who spoke at a recent meeting of the Shalom Club. Her story moved so many of you that we wanted to share it again on this day of remembrance.

"I had what you might call a happy childhood, up until March 1938 when Hi**er marched into Austria," Bard said. "I was 14 years old at the time, and two months later, I was no longer allowed to attend public schools with Christian children."

Bard described the months that followed as "bearable," but that all changed on Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass, on November 9, 1938. The N**i party came to her home searching for her father. When they couldn't find him, they turned to Bard. "They looked at me and said, 'You, come with us.' My mother started to cry, saying, 'Take me, take me,' and I was very scared," Bard recalled. "I had no idea what they had in mind for me." They forced her to paint antisemitic words and swastikas on Jewish stores in her neighborhood, then poured the leftover paint over her clothes and let her go.

Her brother Harry immigrated to the United States in 1939. Though Bard had a visa, her parents were uneasy about her traveling alone and hoped the family could leave together. When England and France declared war on Germany, her parents put her on a train to Italy to wait for a ship to America.

"Little did I know that I would never see them again," Bard said.

Bard arrived in New York on November 17, 1939, reuniting with her brother. After the war, they searched for their parents. "The Germans kept lists of all the Jewish people they killed in the concentration camps, and we found their names on such a list," she said. Her parents, Leo and Amalia, died in May 1942 at the Chelmno concentration camp in Poland.

Now 102, Bard continues to be an active member of our community — volunteering with Hadassah, knitting blankets for Project Linus, playing ping-pong, and frequenting the fitness center. "I believe that if you want to get old, you have to keep busy," she said.

On this Yom HaShoah, we honor the courage and resilience of Bard and all the survivors in our community, and we recommit to preserving their stories so that the lessons of history endure.

04/10/2026

Orchard Cove residents are traveling through a century of literature with Larry Lowenthal. The short story discussion group is analyzing "100 Years of the Best American Short Stories" and recently read "The Enormous Radio" by John Cheever, a story in which a married couple purchases a new radio that picks up the private conversations and domestic dramas of their neighbors. Originally written in 1947, the story was first published in The New Yorker and later adapted for television as an episode of the series "Tales from the Darkside."

Lowenthal is a retired adjunct professor at Northeastern University and a former executive director of the New England Region of the American Jewish Committee.

04/08/2026

The four candidates for the Canton Select Board recently participated in a candidates forum moderated by Orchard Cove resident Nancy Connery, vice chair of the Canton Public Library Board of Trustees.

Current board member Chris Albert is not seeking reelection, leading to a four-way race between incumbent John McCourt and first-time candidates Julie Beckham, David Clough, and Gregory Murphy. The four candidates are running for two seats in the annual town election on April 7.

"I see today as a teachable moment for all of you, the candidates, to share how our town government works and your thoughts as to what is important for the Select Board to focus on," Connery said.

Candidates discussed topics like the opt-in specialized building code, the use of Flock license plate reader cameras by the Canton Police Department, the Bylaw Modernization Committee, and the town administrator hiring process.

More than 60 Orchard Cove residents attended the forum.

Address

1 Del Pond Drive
Canton, MA
02021

Telephone

+17818210820

Website

http://www.hebrewseniorlife.org/orchard-cove

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