This past week, I talked individually with almost each new person who had attended our June 25th meeting, getting acquainted. And, I also met with numerous other neighbors who are now a part of our “happening” program. It was heartening to find people with so much to offer, including one generous volunteer who pledged $1,000 to help pay for our insurance, a telephone line and more.
I also talked with other program Directors, like Ron Bruno of the Morningside Retirement and Health Services program, a “naturally occuring retirement community” (norc) program located in the Morningside Gardens compound with its mission of helping people to “age in place”. He has generously been offering us welcomed advice as we move forward.
Three of us volunteers, including a certified social worker, also met with three staff members and several residents of the Amsterdam House Nursing Home to introduce ourselves and to enter into the discussion about how volunteers might best serve. The conversation was lively, highly fruitful, and enjoyable. As we left, one of the residents thanked us heartily, saying that the meeting alone made her “feel alive again!” We are expecting to begin visiting eight residents this coming week.
We find that partnering is all important when it comes to program-building, especially in an economically strained environment, and we have been much involved in this on a weekly basis; for example, this week we talked with clergy people, more store-keepers, folks at Columbia University, and our local library.
As we pump up to a September 9th meeting of our volunteer base, we have begun working on the contents of our upcoming newsletter. Please feel free to recommend content by commenting below or emailing me. Until next week,
Irene Zola
