Four Score and More or Less is a group of citizens in the Monadnock Region who are 71 years or older. The group meets every Wednesday, depending on the weather, at 10 a.m. at the Congregational Church of Temple. Priscilla Weston of Temple organized the group in 2011 to help elderly residents socialize with people they otherwise may have never met.
“It’s just a chance to exercise our brains and be social with each other,” Weston said.
The group typically has between eight and ten members per week. However, some members spend their winters in the warmer climates and others don’t make the trip due to the recent snow and ice, so the meetings have been smaller and more intimate.
While they meet every week in the same venue, they sometimes make a trip out to other areas of town.
“We sometimes have bus trips using the church bus for getting breakfast or ice cream,” Weston said.
Mell Konkel of Jaffrey is another member of Four Score and More or Less.
“The group has great regularity with the meetings,” Konkel said. “That’s something I appreciate.”
Konkel also said that the group was her first introduction to the Temple area and was a great way to make friends, since she moved to New Hampshire from North Carolina. She makes the trip from Jaffrey every Wednesday for the meetings.
Originally, the group only allowed people who were 80 years or older. Peggy Cournoyer was a Temple resident who wanted into the group, but was not at the age requirement, as she is in her 70s.
“She’s the kid of the group,” Mary Whitehurst, one the group’s members, said.
Priscilla and the group members made an exception to the rule to allow Cournoyer and other ‘younger’ elders join, hence the ‘more or less’ added to their title.
As the group of women sit at their table in Friendship Hall of the church with coffee and donuts, they discuss their families, upcoming town events and anything else they want. However, Weston stresses that there are certain topics they stay away from.
“Two subjects we try to avoid is religion and politics,” Weston said. “We try to be upbeat and keep the conversation positive.”
What if the conversation gets dry? “If we have nothing to talk about, we make sure to come in with some jokes,” Weston said.
The group has no dues and no officers.
“No officers, but one queen,” said Whitehurst of Weston.
The group is open to new members joining, pending the approval of its current members. Anyone who is interested can contact Weston at 878-2658.