With an elderly population that includes people who depend on oxygen tanks, the Wareham Housing Authority has made buying generators for the community rooms at the Redwood Park and Agawam Village developments a priority.

"This way we won't have to get them on a bus and take them to the Multi-Service Center," which is typically used as a temporary shelter during storms, noted Housing Authority Chair Bob Powilatis. "We'll be able to take care of our own people. ... It'll be a burden off the town too."

Powilatis and the rest of the board are asking citizens to donate to the cause. Approximately $13,000 is needed to purchase the two generators. He said that the board is also hoping to get some money from the state Department of Housing and Community Development, and is more likely to get money if it can show it is making efforts to raise funds on its own.

"We'll show them that we're not just going to the state for all of it," Powilatis explained. He added that so far the Housing Authority has received "a couple of hundred dollar checks" from citizens, but there's still a long way to go.

Powilatis said that the Housing Authority is especially cash strapped right now.

"We've got a lot of extraordinary costs this year," he said.

According to Powilatis, the extraordinary costs include:

• Sick and vacation payout to former executive director that is "probably in the $16,000 range, he says.
• Approximately $9,000 for an interim director
• A payout just below $19,000 to a retiring member of the maintenance staff
• A $5,000 audit of the Housing Authority's finances conducted by accounting firm Powers & Sullivan

"They were avoidable costs," Powilatis said matter-of-factly.

Powilatis also pointed out that Wareham is regularly hammered by winter storms.

"We're in a heavy storm area. You're talking about elderly people with a lot of medical issues" who would benefit from having generators on site, he noted.

Anybody who wishes to donate money toward purchasing generators for Agawam Village and Redwood Park may send checks or money orders to: Wareham Housing Authority Generator Fund, 57 Sandwich Road, Wareham, MA 02571.

Donations may also be dropped off at Eastern Bank at 226 Main Street in Wareham.