lawrenceville, ga 30045 volunteer services coodinator ......the upcoming holidays, it is easy to...
TRANSCRIPT
www.gwinnettseniorservices.com
contents 2 • Above & Beyond
3 • Meals on Wheels Corner
3 • Opportunities to Support
Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
75 Langley DriveLawrenceville, GA 30045-6900
senior services centers
The Volunteer Vision is a quarterly publication of the Gwinnett County Senior Services Volunteer Program. For newsletter questions and comments, call (770) 822-8837.
Lawrenceville (Rhodes-Jordan Park)225 Benson StreetLawrenceville, GA 30045770.822.5180
gwinnettcounty seniorservicesDepartment of Community Services75 Langley DriveLawrenceville, GA 30045www.gwinnettseniorservices.com
Norcross5030 Georgia Belle CourtNorcross, GA 30093770.638.5683
EditorGary GallowayVolunteer Services [email protected]
Senior Services ManagerLinda [email protected]
GraphicsShawn [email protected]
Buford2755 Sawnee AvenueBuford, GA 30518770.614.2527
The Gwinnett County Meals on Wheels program is rapidly expanding and volunteers are needed to deliver meals to senior clients who cannot leave home.Description: Deliver chilled package meals to 6 - 12 appreciative seniors (Typically in the mid-morning)
Time Commitment: Approximately 1.5 - 2 hours for 1 - 5 scheduled days a month
Min. Qualifications: Must Complete Volunteer Application & Pass Background Check Must possess a valid Georgia Driver’s License
GWINNETT COUNTYMEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEERS
Linda BaileySenior Services Manager
Manager’s Moments
Holiday Edition, 2008
The Holiday Spirit – Giving and Sharing
T’was weeks before Christmas and all through the County, volunteers were busy working
to gather charitable bounty. They repaired roofs and plumbing fixtures with the greatest of ease, and delivered meals and gift baskets to seniors in need. They collected food and warm blankets for the young and old, and were bound and determined to make sure that Gwinnett County seniors, children, and youth would not be hungry or cold.
This year, the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta leadership and girls, along with the Ismaili Muslim Community Golden Club seniors, did a fantastic job collecting items and preparing holiday gifts for our seniors. Safeco Insurance also continued an outstanding 22-year holiday tradition of providing a grant used to purchase food which is then packaged and delivered to at-home seniors by Safeco employees. Likewise, Ricoh Electronics, Inc. employees continued a holiday gift-giving program for seniors in need.
However, no discussion of holiday spirit is complete without mentioning the superb toy
collecting skills of the one and only Adam ‘The Man’ Nerenbaum. He has been personally responsible for matching HeadStart kids with gifts from Santa.
Finally, the unprecedented love and support that has been shared with four local grand-families (grandparents or older relatives raising youngsters) is heartwarming and relevant. Our volunteers have repaired their homes, provided food and gifts for the grand or great-grandchildren, and even provided a home environment for a three-generation family preparing to live in their car. That’s the holiday spirit!
Ismaili Muslim Community Golden Club seniors making gift bags.
As we eagerly prepare for the upcoming holidays, it is easy to become concerned with what we are going to get and what we are going to give. However, I am thrilled to report that our volunteers are giving even more of themselves to improve the quality of life
for our seniors. Volunteers have offered housing to homeless grand families (grandparents or older relatives raising young blood relatives), provided food and gifts, completed home repairs, and “adopted” seniors without any family or little
contact with the outside world.
Regardless of what we hear about the economy, we need to remember that our seniors may be facing hunger, lack of safe shelter, necessary medicines, or adequate heat in their homes. ‘Tis the season to reach out and help.
(l-r) Safeco employees Chris Fitzpatrick, Marlena Pool, and Ingrid Jackson unload goodies for the 22nd annual Safeco gift box project for seniors.
Meals on Wheels CornerBy Marilynn Sessions, Meals on Wheels Coordinator
Volunteers – the Best Present!
I must admit that there have been times this past year when I had serious doubts
as to whether or not we would be able to cope with the never-ending demand for meals and the uncertainties with the economy. Fortunately, I have learned to always rely on our volunteers to help pull us through thick and thin.
Your dedicated and continual service is worth bragging about. The help that you provide to our seniors is really appreciated, not only by our clients, but by all of us. Great volunteer service continues to be the best present that I could ever hope to receive.
We know that the coming year is going to be full of challenges; so get some rest, enjoy the holidays, and come into the new year with love for our seniors in your hearts. Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings.
Seasonal Shout-outs
The holiday season is a time for reflection and compassionate action. Many
wonder ful people and organizations contribute their time and resources to help others.
• The Safeco Insurance employees have just completed their 22nd annual food gift basket distribution to 83 senior households.
• The employees of RICOH Electronics, Inc. are once again providing gifts for needy seniors through their annual ‘angel tree’ program.
• The Knights of Columbus and the Buford-North Gwinnett Rotary Club volunteers are collecting blankets and socks for seniors.
• The Touch-a-Life teen mentoring program is taking time to ‘hang out’ with seniors at the Lawrenceville Senior Center.
• Girl Scout Troop 1773 has collected personal care items and made 200+ gift bags for seniors.
Project A.W.A.R.E. (Added Warmth Assistance for Residences of our
Elderly) is a new program designed to assist seniors to stay warm this winter. Gwinnett County Fire stations, as well as senior centers in Buford, Lawrenceville, and Norcross are accepting donations of new electric portable heaters. For safety reasons, all heaters should be new and operated by electricity. Any tax-deductible donations to support this wonderful cause should be made out to Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services (a non-profit organization that privately aids our seniors.)
Donated heaters will be distributed to those seniors needing additional warmth in their residence. Some monetary donations may also be used to provide emergency utility bill assistance. For more information, call Melanie Miller at 770.822.8842 or e-mail her at [email protected].
The Meals on Wheels waiting list has exceeded 125 seniors per month. Seniors are accepted without regard to their financial status. The cost for sponsoring a year’s worth of home-delivered meals has increased to $800. To sponsor one or more seniors, call 770.822.8837.
Thanks for a Wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner!
offer an available 3-bedroom home for this needy grand-family to live in for a few months.
Building on the act of hope and giving shown by Susan and Alfredo, members of faith-based organizations as well as Gwinnett County employees, have offered monetary gif ts , food, and needed household items to this very appreciative grand-family. It is hard to imagine a 19-month old and a 5-year old being raised in a car. We commend this great act of benevolence.
To seek more information or if you wish to give hope to others who have ex traordinar y needs , please cal l 770.822.8837 to f ind out what opportunities you can help to support.
Two members of 12Stone Church have offered hope and stability to a
grand-family faced with the shocking prospect of having to live out of their car, or worse. Initially, extended stay housing was secured for a week, thanks to the emergency assistance support of the Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services. Every possible agency and resource was contacted. Not surprisingly, there was ‘no room in the inn’, considering the state of the economy and the general bustle of the holiday season.
But these volunteers, Susan and Alfredo, are applying their faith by directly impacting the lives of this grandmother, her daughter, and two small grandchildren. Susan has recently had her own family challenges, but she still chose to step forward and
(l-r) Troop 1773 Girl Scouts Elizabeth Swartz, Leilah Miller, and ShaTacia Dent package gift bags.
Calling all prospective volunteers ages 55+! If you are interested in serving in one of our high-impact areas, we encourage you to apply to become a RSVP volunteer. Specific interest impact areas include:•Disasterpreparedness•Informationaboutseniorissues•Assistance with health & well being•Homerepair
Please contact either the Atlanta Regional Commission RSVP office at 404.463.5119 or e-mail [email protected] or call Gary Galloway at 770.822.8837.
Outreach and Sponsorship
New & Improved RSVP
Giving Hope
Dirty Dozens, by the Dozen
These special projects are great achievements because they bring out
the best efforts of willing volunteers from all over Gwinnett County. Representatives from Home Repair Ministries, Inc., Sugarloaf UMC, and 12Stone Church partnered together to provide project leadership while the Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services provided funding for the project. One volunteer commented, “We are thrilled that we completed the roofing job in a day, but the receiving family is in total shock. They’ve never experienced the collective power of volunteer will.” Good things can happen to good people.
At another grand-family residence,
volunteers replaced badly damaged front steps. Existing steps were wobbly, partially water-rotted, and very dangerous! These rickety steps presented a major fall hazard risk not only to the great-grandmother, but to the toddler great-grandchildren as well. Thankfully, dedicated Hamilton Mill UMC volunteers followed-up on some previous work that had been completed by Sugarloaf UMC Dirty Dozens volunteers, and presto – new steps!
If you know of a senior in need, please contact the Gwinnett Senior Services Helpline at 678.377.4150 or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Gary Galloway at 770.822.8837.
Question: What do you get when you gather dozens of Dirty Dozens volunteers at a work site?Answer: A new roof in one day for a four-generation grand-family.Answer #2: New front steps for a grand-family home with six great-grandchildren.
While many of us were enjoying a Thanksgiving feast with family and friends, a very special event took place at the Outback Steakhouse in Suwanee. More than 120 needy seniors and other community members gathered for a special Thanksgiving dinner, courtesy of Outback Steakhouse.
Special guests who would not otherwise have had a Thanksgiving dinner for their
for again giving back to this community. Yanis and his staff have been a tremendous asset to our cause and we are very grateful for all their efforts!
families, were invited to break bread and share the blessings of this bountiful country with fellow seniors and their families. Seniors who could not drive were picked up by bus and escorted to the event and every effort was made to make our seniors feel welcome.
We would like to tip our hat in appreciation to Yanis Latsis, the proprietor of Outback Steakhouse in Suwanee, and his staff
Opportunities to Support Our SeniorsAbove & Beyond: Extra Special Services
(l-r) Ismaili Muslim Community member Zarina Dhanani presents a Christmas gift bag made by the Golden Club to Geneva Watlington.
Meals on Wheels CornerBy Marilynn Sessions, Meals on Wheels Coordinator
Volunteers – the Best Present!
I must admit that there have been times this past year when I had serious doubts
as to whether or not we would be able to cope with the never-ending demand for meals and the uncertainties with the economy. Fortunately, I have learned to always rely on our volunteers to help pull us through thick and thin.
Your dedicated and continual service is worth bragging about. The help that you provide to our seniors is really appreciated, not only by our clients, but by all of us. Great volunteer service continues to be the best present that I could ever hope to receive.
We know that the coming year is going to be full of challenges; so get some rest, enjoy the holidays, and come into the new year with love for our seniors in your hearts. Merry Christmas and Season’s Greetings.
Seasonal Shout-outs
The holiday season is a time for reflection and compassionate action. Many
wonder ful people and organizations contribute their time and resources to help others.
• The Safeco Insurance employees have just completed their 22nd annual food gift basket distribution to 83 senior households.
• The employees of RICOH Electronics, Inc. are once again providing gifts for needy seniors through their annual ‘angel tree’ program.
• The Knights of Columbus and the Buford-North Gwinnett Rotary Club volunteers are collecting blankets and socks for seniors.
• The Touch-a-Life teen mentoring program is taking time to ‘hang out’ with seniors at the Lawrenceville Senior Center.
• Girl Scout Troop 1773 has collected personal care items and made 200+ gift bags for seniors.
Project A.W.A.R.E. (Added Warmth Assistance for Residences of our
Elderly) is a new program designed to assist seniors to stay warm this winter. Gwinnett County Fire stations, as well as senior centers in Buford, Lawrenceville, and Norcross are accepting donations of new electric portable heaters. For safety reasons, all heaters should be new and operated by electricity. Any tax-deductible donations to support this wonderful cause should be made out to Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services (a non-profit organization that privately aids our seniors.)
Donated heaters will be distributed to those seniors needing additional warmth in their residence. Some monetary donations may also be used to provide emergency utility bill assistance. For more information, call Melanie Miller at 770.822.8842 or e-mail her at [email protected].
The Meals on Wheels waiting list has exceeded 125 seniors per month. Seniors are accepted without regard to their financial status. The cost for sponsoring a year’s worth of home-delivered meals has increased to $800. To sponsor one or more seniors, call 770.822.8837.
Thanks for a Wonderful Thanksgiving Dinner!
offer an available 3-bedroom home for this needy grand-family to live in for a few months.
Building on the act of hope and giving shown by Susan and Alfredo, members of faith-based organizations as well as Gwinnett County employees, have offered monetary gif ts , food, and needed household items to this very appreciative grand-family. It is hard to imagine a 19-month old and a 5-year old being raised in a car. We commend this great act of benevolence.
To seek more information or if you wish to give hope to others who have ex traordinar y needs , please cal l 770.822.8837 to f ind out what opportunities you can help to support.
Two members of 12Stone Church have offered hope and stability to a
grand-family faced with the shocking prospect of having to live out of their car, or worse. Initially, extended stay housing was secured for a week, thanks to the emergency assistance support of the Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services. Every possible agency and resource was contacted. Not surprisingly, there was ‘no room in the inn’, considering the state of the economy and the general bustle of the holiday season.
But these volunteers, Susan and Alfredo, are applying their faith by directly impacting the lives of this grandmother, her daughter, and two small grandchildren. Susan has recently had her own family challenges, but she still chose to step forward and
(l-r) Troop 1773 Girl Scouts Elizabeth Swartz, Leilah Miller, and ShaTacia Dent package gift bags.
Calling all prospective volunteers ages 55+! If you are interested in serving in one of our high-impact areas, we encourage you to apply to become a RSVP volunteer. Specific interest impact areas include:•Disasterpreparedness•Informationaboutseniorissues•Assistance with health & well being•Homerepair
Please contact either the Atlanta Regional Commission RSVP office at 404.463.5119 or e-mail [email protected] or call Gary Galloway at 770.822.8837.
Outreach and Sponsorship
New & Improved RSVP
Giving Hope
Dirty Dozens, by the Dozen
These special projects are great achievements because they bring out
the best efforts of willing volunteers from all over Gwinnett County. Representatives from Home Repair Ministries, Inc., Sugarloaf UMC, and 12Stone Church partnered together to provide project leadership while the Friends of Gwinnett County Senior Services provided funding for the project. One volunteer commented, “We are thrilled that we completed the roofing job in a day, but the receiving family is in total shock. They’ve never experienced the collective power of volunteer will.” Good things can happen to good people.
At another grand-family residence,
volunteers replaced badly damaged front steps. Existing steps were wobbly, partially water-rotted, and very dangerous! These rickety steps presented a major fall hazard risk not only to the great-grandmother, but to the toddler great-grandchildren as well. Thankfully, dedicated Hamilton Mill UMC volunteers followed-up on some previous work that had been completed by Sugarloaf UMC Dirty Dozens volunteers, and presto – new steps!
If you know of a senior in need, please contact the Gwinnett Senior Services Helpline at 678.377.4150 or if you would like to volunteer, please contact Gary Galloway at 770.822.8837.
Question: What do you get when you gather dozens of Dirty Dozens volunteers at a work site?Answer: A new roof in one day for a four-generation grand-family.Answer #2: New front steps for a grand-family home with six great-grandchildren.
While many of us were enjoying a Thanksgiving feast with family and friends, a very special event took place at the Outback Steakhouse in Suwanee. More than 120 needy seniors and other community members gathered for a special Thanksgiving dinner, courtesy of Outback Steakhouse.
Special guests who would not otherwise have had a Thanksgiving dinner for their
for again giving back to this community. Yanis and his staff have been a tremendous asset to our cause and we are very grateful for all their efforts!
families, were invited to break bread and share the blessings of this bountiful country with fellow seniors and their families. Seniors who could not drive were picked up by bus and escorted to the event and every effort was made to make our seniors feel welcome.
We would like to tip our hat in appreciation to Yanis Latsis, the proprietor of Outback Steakhouse in Suwanee, and his staff
Opportunities to Support Our SeniorsAbove & Beyond: Extra Special Services
(l-r) Ismaili Muslim Community member Zarina Dhanani presents a Christmas gift bag made by the Golden Club to Geneva Watlington.
www.gwinnettseniorservices.com
contents 2 • Above & Beyond
3 • Meals on Wheels Corner
3 • Opportunities to Support
Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners
75 Langley DriveLawrenceville, GA 30045-6900
senior services centers
The Volunteer Vision is a quarterly publication of the Gwinnett County Senior Services Volunteer Program. For newsletter questions and comments, call (770) 822-8837.
Lawrenceville (Rhodes-Jordan Park)225 Benson StreetLawrenceville, GA 30045770.822.5180
gwinnettcounty seniorservicesDepartment of Community Services75 Langley DriveLawrenceville, GA 30045www.gwinnettseniorservices.com
Norcross5030 Georgia Belle CourtNorcross, GA 30093770.638.5683
EditorGary GallowayVolunteer Services [email protected]
Senior Services ManagerLinda [email protected]
GraphicsShawn [email protected]
Buford2755 Sawnee AvenueBuford, GA 30518770.614.2527
The Gwinnett County Meals on Wheels program is rapidly expanding and volunteers are needed to deliver meals to senior clients who cannot leave home.Description: Deliver chilled package meals to 6 - 12 appreciative seniors (Typically in the mid-morning)
Time Commitment: Approximately 1.5 - 2 hours for 1 - 5 scheduled days a month
Min. Qualifications: Must Complete Volunteer Application & Pass Background Check Must possess a valid Georgia Driver’s License
GWINNETT COUNTYMEALS ON WHEELS VOLUNTEERS
Linda BaileySenior Services Manager
Manager’s Moments
Holiday Edition, 2008
The Holiday Spirit – Giving and Sharing
T’was weeks before Christmas and all through the County, volunteers were busy working
to gather charitable bounty. They repaired roofs and plumbing fixtures with the greatest of ease, and delivered meals and gift baskets to seniors in need. They collected food and warm blankets for the young and old, and were bound and determined to make sure that Gwinnett County seniors, children, and youth would not be hungry or cold.
This year, the Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta leadership and girls, along with the Ismaili Muslim Community Golden Club seniors, did a fantastic job collecting items and preparing holiday gifts for our seniors. Safeco Insurance also continued an outstanding 22-year holiday tradition of providing a grant used to purchase food which is then packaged and delivered to at-home seniors by Safeco employees. Likewise, Ricoh Electronics, Inc. employees continued a holiday gift-giving program for seniors in need.
However, no discussion of holiday spirit is complete without mentioning the superb toy
collecting skills of the one and only Adam ‘The Man’ Nerenbaum. He has been personally responsible for matching HeadStart kids with gifts from Santa.
Finally, the unprecedented love and support that has been shared with four local grand-families (grandparents or older relatives raising youngsters) is heartwarming and relevant. Our volunteers have repaired their homes, provided food and gifts for the grand or great-grandchildren, and even provided a home environment for a three-generation family preparing to live in their car. That’s the holiday spirit!
Ismaili Muslim Community Golden Club seniors making gift bags.
As we eagerly prepare for the upcoming holidays, it is easy to become concerned with what we are going to get and what we are going to give. However, I am thrilled to report that our volunteers are giving even more of themselves to improve the quality of life
for our seniors. Volunteers have offered housing to homeless grand families (grandparents or older relatives raising young blood relatives), provided food and gifts, completed home repairs, and “adopted” seniors without any family or little
contact with the outside world.
Regardless of what we hear about the economy, we need to remember that our seniors may be facing hunger, lack of safe shelter, necessary medicines, or adequate heat in their homes. ‘Tis the season to reach out and help.
(l-r) Safeco employees Chris Fitzpatrick, Marlena Pool, and Ingrid Jackson unload goodies for the 22nd annual Safeco gift box project for seniors.