Senior Life: Say thanks or join your local volunteers during National Volunteer Month
- Sally Kelly
April is National Volunteer Month. This is a chance for us to take a look around and “give our thanks” to all of our neighbors who give of their time and energy to help improve the community in which we live. These are folks who work for free, who only get paid by the good feelings which come from helping someone else live a better life.
The food pantries are the first group of volunteers who come to my mind. They sort the food, box it, and many of them put it in your car for you. Ever think how all of that free bread gets to our senior centers or food pantries? Volunteers!
Who are those folks at the University Hospitals Portage Medical Center in Ravenna who help show you around, or offer a warm blanket when you are waiting in the ER? Yep. Volunteers.
Ever think about who decides how our United Way donations, or the funds from the Portage Foundations are divided up? Volunteer boards.
Did you get your Girl Scout Cookies at a table in a local parking lot? Those mothers helping the girls are all volunteers.
Have you been to a theatrical performance at the Kent State University theater, the Akron Civic Theater or at Cleveland Playhouse and had someone show you to your seats? Yep, all volunteers.
Have you been to a local pancake breakfast this year? Once again, all volunteers.
The month of May will soon be here, and those folks who fill the planters and care for those flowers in Ravenna and Kent are… you guessed it— volunteers.
Everywhere we turn, there are folks who are willing to give of their time and energy to help make our lives better. If you are a volunteer … thank you. If you are not already a volunteer, think about it in the next few months. We still have many needs in our county that you may be able to help with.
If you are over the age of 55 and have decided that you want to become a volunteer, give Shannon Lehn a call at 330-677-3939. She is the new RSVP/FGP Coordinator, she is replacing Chrystal Shanley. Shannon's programs are still part of Axess Family Services Inc., though all of her funding comes from Americore (a federal program).
Shannon is from Youngstown and brings with her an abundant wealth of knowledge about senior citizens, also a strong desire to “reach out and help solve some of our community's problems.”
RSVP currently has nine volunteer sites in Portage County and they all need additional volunteers. The biggest need right now is for volunteers to help with food distribution at a pop-up food pantry or participating in a program to help get food donations, or helping to serve food at one of the lunch program sites.
Shannon believes that there are also three other primary needs in our county: transportation, mentoring at-risk children and companionship programs.
Are you one of those seniors who was cut from the new SNAP program, and were told you would have to work up to 80 hours a month to qualify for food stamps?
Keep in mind that volunteering can meet this work requirement. The Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs not only provide you with a small stipend ($4 an hour), they also meet the requirements for the SNAP program.
There are a variety of sites where you could become a stipend-paid mentor for an “at-risk” child in our county. There are also a multitude of senior citizens who would like some companionship and assistance with their activities of daily living (a run to a post office or grocery, help with fixing dinner, or just an afternoon of playing cards, and “talking about how things used to be.”
These programs ask for at least a five hour a week commitment, but many of the Senior Companions and Foster Grandparents in this program work many more.
If interested, give Shannon a call (330-677-3939).
April is a beautiful month, with the flowers coming out of the ground and the leaves beginning to add color to our landscape. Why not take this month to get out of your home and bring your love and energy to add color to someone else’s life!
Contact Sally Kelly with your senior news at 330-687-9501 or sentrip65@yahoo.com.
Sally Kelly