Volunteers Ronnie Stanley & Colm Feeney at Café Eireann.

Senior Moments from the IPC

By Phil O’Sullivan, Senior Program Coordinator

and Social Work Intern

Email: philosullivan@ipcboston.org

Call: 617-265-5300 ext 13

Café Eireann

Bingo was the order of the day in Dorchester last Wednesday as the seniors enjoyed yet another successful coffee morning on Rita Road, Eileen Collins conducted what proved to be a very entertaining game of bingo. As usual a big thank you to all our volunteers who helped serve the baked goods and hot refreshments. Thanks to all the participants who always make it a great morning.

Cara Club

A relaxing atmosphere was evident in Brighton last week as the seniors gathered for some freshly baked goods with some hot tea and coffee. A humorous DVD was the order of the day as the seniors enjoyed the banter both on screen and off the screen. A very enjoyable afternoon was topped off by volunteer Kevin O’Sullivan who gave some renditions of traditional Irish songs. A big thank you to everyone who helped out on the day, as usual the volunteers did a fantastic job

Some advice for dealing with the hot weather

With temperatures set to soar in the coming weeks it is important to be aware of the dangers associated with high temperatures, especially for our senior citizens. Below are some valuable tips that could prove extremely beneficial over the coming weeks.

· Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, light-colored clothing while spending as little time as possible in the sun and keep activity levels to a minimum.

· It is also vital to keep hydrated and drink plenty of cool, non-alcoholic beverages, especially those without sugar or caffeine.

· If you are doing house work or yard work please remember to take regular breaks in the shade or in an air-conditioned room

Please know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

· If someone becomes dizzy, nauseated, or sweats heavily, find a cooler location for him or her immediately.

· Heat stroke is much more serious than heat exhaustion. The symptoms are similar to heat exhaustion, but also include hot, flushed skin, and normally sweating stops. If heat stroke is a possibility, call 911 immediately. Heat stroke is life threatening!

Enjoy the sun as much as you like but always respect the dangers that come with it.

Have a great summer.

At our July 4th celebration in Café Eireann, Dorchester were Patt Flynn, Pet Devilly and Barbara Sullivan.

Sheila Kilgallen, Patricia Duffy and Rita Grady settling in at Cara Club before the entertainment begins.

Immigration and U.S. Citizenship News

By Kieran C. O'Sullivan, Immigration Counselor

Email: kieran@ipcboston.org

Tel: 617-265-5300 ext. 16

An Irish immigrant receives U.S. citizenship assistance from attorney Chris Lavery and Kieran O Sullivan at a recent immigration clinic

Legal Clinics

We had another well attended clinic last week at the Banshee in Dorchester. Ten people received one to one consultations on difficult immigration situations. Our thanks to Neil Hurley and attorney Chris Lavery for volunteering their time on the evening. Our clinics are confidential and information is not shared with any city of government agency.

Marriage Fraud

Two parties asked questions at recent clinics about getting legal status through marriage to U.S. citizens. From the manner in which the questions were put to the attorney, it became clear that the marriages were going to be entered into for the sole purpose of gaining legal status in the U.S. The attorney advised very strongly against it stating it was illegal and citing the stringent interview and process put in place at the USCIS to prevent such fraud.

“The U.S. citizen could be fined and you could be deported from the U.S. with a permanent bar from returning to the U.S.,” attorney Chris Lavery advised one person. While we understand the difficulties associated with residing in the U.S. undocumented, we always advise people against committing any kind of fraud against the government.

US Citizenship

Another attendee was present on his U.S. citizenship application. The Irish Pastoral Centre has been actively involved in promoting U.S. citizenship over the past twenty years, and we continue to encourage those who are eligible to naturalize here in the U.S.

J1 visas

A few people at our clinic were present on J1 visas and were exploring options for longer stays in the U.S. The H-1B visa cap is a major problem for many of these individuals. At the present time, unless you find work with a cap exempt employer, there are no more H-1B visas available until October 1, 2016. Those visas will be filed for on April 1, 2016. Years ago, the most difficult aspect of an H-1B was finding an employer willing to file a petition for an eligible candidate. Today, we seem to have lots of employers who are eager to hold on to workers but who have no H-1B options because of the cap. We hope Congress acts soon and increases the amount of H-1B available.

Next clinic

Our next free legal clinic is at Kelly’s Cellar, 1546R Hancock St., Quincy on July 21 beginning at 6 pm. There is no need to pre-register in advance for our clinics. People are seen on a first come first served basis until everyone has had a chance for a consultation.

Notary Public Service

If you have any legal documents which need to be notarized, you may avail of this service at any of our monthly clinics in Dorchester or Quincy. Remember you will need to bring picture identification (passports or drivers licenses) so we can verify who is signing the documents.

Disclaimer: Please note that the information contained in it is provided to inform generally, and is not intended as a substitute for individual advice. Immigration law is subject to frequent changes and individual circumstances can affect the application of certain legal provisions. For individual legal advice, please contact the Irish Pastoral Centre directly regarding upcoming legal clinics or consultation with an immigration attorney.