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Director's Message

Volunteering April 2010

Director's Message: April 2010

Volunteering

PSRC will be hosting our volunteer events in late April and early May. At this time of year the staff reflects on the tremendous gift that our volunteers give to PSRC, and we are filled with gratitude. Last year, we had 359 volunteers who gave an estimated 9300 hours to PSRC, valued at$215,924! That is more than half of our annual budget!

PSRC feels strongly that volunteering is a key component of healthy aging. Volunteers have a sense of purpose, they are physically, mentally and socially active—all the factors that research studies find significant. This Spring we are hosting programs to encourage volunteering, including how to use volunteering to boost your resume and using Volunteer Connect to find the right position for you.

Let us introduce you to some of these wonderful people. Maybe they will inspire you to join them! We can find a role for you. Please understand that for every story here, there are dozens of unsung heroes just like them in our community. We appreciate all of you!

Gerri comes by the day before “folding day” at Spruce Circle, when we prepare Mature Princeton for mailing. She takes home a pile to get a head start, helps take the materials over to Spruce Circle and welcomes and guides new volunteers who join the experienced crew of Lydia, Emma and others who have been helping for more than a decade.

Celia started the “Let’s Talk in English” group 6 years ago as part of her social work internship. She and the group are still going strong. Sue Tillett and Ruth Randall have been leading Let’s Talk in English Too for nearly 5 years. They helped one participant prepare for his citizenship exam.

Rice has been encouraging people to find their hidden voice through writing poetry for several years.

Judy started helping people write their memoirs about two years ago. That group--currently filled--has shared tears, laughter, photos, and memorabilia as well as their stories.

When Lenore retired and moved to this area to be near family, she wasn’t sure how she’d stay busy and meet new people. She tells us that GrandPals has been a gift in her life. She loves her weekly time with the children and they love her.

Bonnie has helped the Knit Wits group contribute to a variety of noble causes from lap blankets for returning injured military veterans to sweaters for orphans.

Betty Ann, Paula and Janice are Home Friend volunteers for the PSRC/Princeton Public Library Books on Wheels Collaboration. They deliver books and good company to several seniors in the Princeton area.

Helen and Marilyn have been writing press releases to let people know about our special programs.

Sharon, our development director, has a veritable army of volunteers too numerous to list who are planning the events, collecting silent auction items, preparing baskets and tracking orders.

We would really be in trouble without Bruce’s weekly visits to fix our computer problems. He stays on the look-out for newer equipment that can replace our aging hardware. Barbara has created a database to help with Crosstown administration, and another for Brunch at Home, as well as teaching some of the computer classes.

Evergreen Forum is entirely taught by volunteers, and everyone on the steering committee is a volunteer.

Peggy is a Home Friend who makes regular calls and cheerful visits to a home-based senior. She shops and labels the groceries so this visually impaired person can do her own cooking.

Tripta, Susan, Barbara, Shirley, Honey, Jan, Ahuva, Laraine, Hillary, and Frederica are some of the cheerful voices and faces who answer the phones, greet visitors, make coffee and do thousands of other office tasks.

Thanks to board members who govern, give lectures, help with events, and lead outreach and fundraising.

Again these are just a few examples of the hundreds of wonderful people who make PSRC the caring and lively community that it is. Thank you all for that you do.

Susan W. Hoskins, LCSW