America's Oldest Volunteers Recognized by MetLife
Foundation Enrich America Awards
Top honors to Barbara, 78, Ira, 79 Smith; Donald
Bend, 60; Jack Scudder, 74
Community
Champion award winners, Barbara and Ira Smith shown receiving a
check for Household Goods Recycling of Massachusetts, which they
founded, from Citizens Bank in April.
May 10, 2010 – This year’s winners of the 2010
MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich America Awards were announced
Friday by the Association of Area Agencies on Aging (n4a) and the long
list of honorees – all between the ages of 59 and 95 – were honored at a
ceremony in Washington D.C.
The award winners in this eighth year of the
program were selected by a "blue ribbon panel," and recognized in three
categories: ► Community Champion, which honors those who use their time
and talent to make their community a better place to live; ► Mentor, which recognizes older volunteers who are devoted
to working with young people and their families; and ► Team Spirit, which pays tribute to older volunteers who
assist older adults.
The top award recipient in each category is
recognized as a Gold Honoree:
Barbara, 78, and Ira, 79, Smith of Acton,
Massachusetts, earned top recognition in the Community Champion
category. Barbara and Ira launched Household Goods Recycling of
Massachusetts (HGRM) in their garage in 1990. HGRM is a volunteer-run,
not-for-profit organization that accepts donated household goods and
distributes them free of charge to individuals and families in need.
What started as a plan to help one family has grown
to an organization of 300 volunteers that now helps close to 4,000
families a year make a home. The Smiths continue to serve as volunteer
co-executive directors of HGRM.
In 2009 alone, HGRM collected and distributed more
than 31,000 pieces of major furniture, kitchen, medical, bedding and
baby care items as well as 11,000 boxes of smaller household goods, free
of charge. Because of the Smith's hard work and dedication, HGRM is now
the largest provider of direct household assistance in New England.
Donald Bend, 60, of Omaha, Nebraska earned
top recognition in the Mentor category for being a "Big Brother" to a
young man who experienced a brain injury at birth and as a result
suffers from developmental delays and multiple disabilities.
At the time of their pairing, Donald's "Little
Brother" Alex was enrolled entirely in special resource classes because
he needed extra time to complete work. Today, Alex is a high school
senior who takes regular classes, is a member of the National Honor
Society, and maintains a GPA of 3.6. His mother attributes much of his
confidence and success to his relationship with Don, who spent every
Saturday of the last five years with Alex.
Don's volunteerism helped Big Brothers Big Sisters
of Midland raise more than $380,000 when he and Alex shared their story
with potential donors in 2009.
Jack Scudder, 74, of Newport News, Virginia
earned top recognition in the Team Spirit category for volunteering to
drive seniors to doctor appointments and medical procedures as part of
the Medtran program. Despite his own mobility limitations due to a
spinal cord injury more than a decade ago, in 2009 alone, Jack donated
540 hours to drive 10,129 miles and completed 135 medical trips without
ever asking for money for gasoline.
Prior to retirement, Jack served 21 years in the
military and completed two tours in Vietnam. He has been recognized by
local TV Channel 3 as a Community Star and by the Daily Press newspaper
as an outstanding community volunteer. In 2008, he was one of ten
receiving the TV Channel 10 "Ten Who Care" awards in Hampton Roads,
Virginia.
"Every town -- no matter how small or large -- can
use the time and talent of volunteers to strengthen communities," said
Dennis White, president and CEO, MetLife Foundation.
"We are pleased to join n4a in honoring 26 older
volunteers who are making a positive difference in the lives of
individuals and families and improving the overall quality of community
life. They are an inspiration to people of all ages."
Sandy Markwood, CEO of n4a, added, "Everyone wins
through volunteerism - local markets get stronger, older adults remain
engaged in their communities, and individuals in need of community
support are able to receive help. Valuable programs that benefit our
most vulnerable citizens continue to be cut around the country as states
and localities are facing difficult budget situations.
“Fortunately, thousands of volunteers like our 26
honorees here in Washington today are stepping in to enrich the lives of
their fellow Americans. We are grateful that MetLife Foundation has made
it possible to recognize their inspirational work at a national level."
All of the honorees will receive engraved gifts,
and the organizations that host the volunteers will receive monetary
awards.
In addition to the Gold Honorees, 22 individuals
were chosen as the Silver Honorees for their outstanding volunteer
contributions.
2010 MetLife Foundation Older Volunteers Enrich
America Award - Silver Honor Recipients
MENTOR
Raymond Unger (80) volunteers at the Bayless
High School “Meal Runners” program in Saint Louis, Missouri. The
program involves high school students and local seniors who work
together to deliver meals on behalf of the South County Senior Center.
Senior drivers like Ray, who participate in this “cross-generational”
service learning project, pick up students who help deliver meals to
homebound seniors. Ray’s support and encouragement has inspired several
students to stay in the program, one of whom is enrolling in college
next year. In addition to driving for all five years that the high
school program has existed, Ray has been volunteering at the South
County Senior Center for over 20 years.
Doris Watkins (90) is a volunteer at The
Shelter, a domestic violence intervention program in Omaha, Nebraska.
Grandma Doris, as she is referred to at the shelter, has been helping
children for almost 29 years as their mothers struggle to transition
from a life of violence to a life of opportunity. Doris’ work does not
end there as she also volunteers for the Foster Grandparent program of
the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging where she is the longest serving
Foster Grandparent in the Eastern Nebraska Program and the longest
serving volunteer in the history of Catholic Charities Omaha.
COMMUNITY CHAMPION
Charlie Davis (82) has led a group of
faith-based volunteers to repair homes as part of his “Charlie’s Angels”
program in Omaha, Nebraska. He and his “Angels” meet weekly and,
weather permitting, work on homes of low-income elderly and disabled
homeowners on behalf of the Rebuilding Together for the Eastern Nebraska
Office on Aging. Rebuilding Together works closely with Charlie to refer
qualified homes and provide support costs for materials and dumpsters.
Charlie builds cabinets for kitchens and baths and modifies cabinetry
donated by others to fit into these homes. In the nine years he has
volunteered, Charlie and his ‘Angels’ have donated 11,821 hours
repairing 470 homes in the Omaha area.
Edward Ferguson (76) volunteers for the
Collier County Sheriff's Office in Naples, Florida. Using his Sheriff’s
Office background, Edward helps victims cope with the crisis they are
facing by providing emotional support, acting as a liaison between the
victims and law enforcement personnel and providing information and
referrals to long-term assistance organizations and advocates on their
behalf when needed. For the past nine and a half years, Edward has
volunteered to put himself in extremely stressful and chaotic
situations—many of which require being on call during nights, weekends
and holidays.
Deb Matthews (59) is a nine-year volunteer
for the Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota Senior Nutrition Program in
Bemidji, Minnesota. In times of economic hardship, Deb’s generosity and
commitment can be counted on to pull the senior nutrition program
through. Every year she organizes a golf tournament that brings in more
than $75,000 in donations that benefit the sick and low-income elderly.
In addition to the nutrition and meals on wheels programs, she also
supports early childhood development and education programs. In the
past nine years she has contributed more than $80,000 to help the
nutrition program continue service to rural areas. She is also an active
member of a group called “The Livingstone Ministries” in which she
volunteers to visit and sing at nursing homes, conduct numerous
fundraising events and minister to the needs of the homeless and people
in every walk of life.
Mari Terbrueggen (71) volunteers for the
Senior Life Foundation, Inc. in Jacksonville, Florida where she provides
rapid assistance to low-income seniors who are facing crisis in their
own home. Crises range from immediate eviction to disconnect notices
from utilities, to having to choose between food and medication. After
retirement, Mari was appointed to the Mayor’s Council for Elder Affairs,
where she came face to face with the plight of the low-income elderly.
Along with other caring individuals, she established the Senior Life
Foundation to help low-income seniors in crisis who have no place else
to turn. Mari makes noteworthy contributions by devoting more than 45
hours a week to the Foundation, continuing to build partnerships and
ensuring that the Foundation keeps its finger on the pulse of senior
needs. Since 2002, the Foundation has helped more than 500 senior
citizens with more than $200,000 in assistance.
Anna Mae Tomka (73) is a volunteer at the
2-1-1 call center in Omaha, Nebraska. The 2-1-1 Center is the national
abbreviated dialing code for free access to health and human services
information and referral. Anna Mae has volunteered from 9:00 a.m. to
2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday for the past 29 years. Over the years,
Anna Mae has helped touch thousands of troubled callers by referring
them to an agency/program that can assist with food, housing,
transportation, utility payments and other emergency basic needs. Her
passion and caring spirit reaches her co-workers and the thousands of
lives she has touched.
TEAM SPIRIT
James Ayre (72 ) plays a significant role in
helping older adults manage their lives and finances through his
volunteer work with Volunteer Connections. For seven years, he has been
the coordinator and instructor for the basic computing class that has
reached almost 600 seniors in this rural Alabama community. (Jim also
devotes 10 to 12 hours a week preparing and instructing a computing
class for Cub Scouts who do not have access to computers in their
homes.) Jim serves as a Trainer, Preparer, and most importantly, as the
Computer Specialist for the free tax assistance program, installing the
hardware and software needed to process the federal and state tax
returns and advising the Tax Assistance Program Coordinators. Jim also
helps to coordinate the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Assistance
Program during open enrollment when volunteers assist Medicare Part D
recipients with the review of their individual prescription drug
coverage plans.
Richard Bear (71) has served as a volunteer
for the York County Area Agency on Aging for the past 25 years. He has
volunteered as a friendly visitor, a community educator and a helper at
special events (such as flu shot clinics, Farmers Market Voucher
distributions and the York County Senior Games). Through Dick's
volunteer efforts he touches the lives of many older adults and their
families. Dick has a passion for older adults and is always willing to
go above and beyond to assist in programs and activities to improve the
quality of life for York County older adults and their families.
Ruth Candeub Avins (82) has had a tremendous
impact on her community, educating thousands of seniors across the State
of New Jersey on the very importance of stopping fraud, waste and abuse
in Medicare and Medicaid. In 2002 when Jewish Family and Vocational
Service of Middlesex County (JFVS) began to inform and educate seniors
about fraud, waste, and abuse in Medicare and Medicaid, Ruth was one of
the first volunteers to offer her services to reach out to senior
groups. For eight years she has been reaching out to seniors, and for
the last three years she has been Assistant Coordinator of the Senior
Medicare Patrol of New Jersey (SMP). Ruth also helps individual seniors
through one-on-one counseling sessions, in addition to her
presentations.
Marilyn Fantino (77) has devoted her life to
serving others. Her son remembers many lessons she taught him, but the
principal one is to "always be grateful for what you have, there are
many less fortunate." She was the force behind the formation of the
Food Bag Program in 2000. Marilyn's philosophy is that "every senior
should be able to look in the cupboard and find an array of nutritious
foods for a meal. Seniors can't run to the grocery store, or afford to
order in or dine out. It is our responsibility to help those who are in
need so they don't go hungry." Since the program was formed in 2000,
10,000 bags of food have been distributed to the poor and needy in
central Virginia, many of whom live in rural areas. Marilyn orders the
food, recruits volunteers, trains packers and drivers and even does some
lifting and carrying of heavy boxes.
Mae Giesner (71) has had a profound impact
on the people she has helped during the past 11 years as a volunteer in
the Benefits Assistance Program (BAP). Navigating the Medicare system
can be difficult and frustrating. In her kind and caring manner, Mae
helps untangle and organize her clients’ medical bills, helps resolve
billing issues, and even assists through the appeals process. Mae is a
true Southerner and her charming accent puts people at ease immediately.
She guides her clients through the maze of decisions they must make in
choosing the most appropriate insurance and drug plans. She volunteers
for the BAP at the Area Agency on Aging office once a week assisting
clients by phone or in one-on-one counseling and at a retirement and
assisted living facility once a month.
Mae makes home visits to under age 65 disabled and
homebound clients, and has manned the Medicare State Hotline, which
takes calls concerning Medicare-related issues from all over the state
of Arizona
Sandra Jackson (68) is one of the three
co-founders of Partners In Care (PIC). Her co-workers often comment on
the “miracle of organization” that Sandy performs to ensure that more
than 7,000 requests for rides per year by older adults to often-critical
destinations are met, and that daily efforts of volunteers driving
142,938 miles and working 25,903 hours per year are coordinated. As
PIC’s head of transportation, Sandra ensures daily that it all happens
and does it as a volunteer. In the past 15 years, she has worked
tirelessly on behalf of seniors, recruiting a small army of 2,600
members with her unassuming, gracious leadership. She has written
countless grant proposals, spoken to hundreds of groups, organized
multiple fundraisers and served on numerous community boards and
councils advocating for older adults and nonprofits. Sandra has ensured
that PIC’s programs combat social isolation and affirm every person’s
value in the community.
Virginia Lemire (73) is an exemplary SHINE
health benefits counselor and Medical Advocate for Minuteman clients, as
well as a Safe Meds volunteer for the Concord Council on Aging. In
addition, she initiated a very successful senior meals program in her
hometown. She has made a difference in the lives of hundreds of
seniors. Virginia received training as a SHINE health benefits
counselor assigned to the Concord Council on Aging. Volunteer positions
in this program are among the most time-consuming, intensive and highly
skilled in the area agency. SHINE counselors invest many hours for
training to keep up with changing regulations and commit to a great deal
of client contact. She mentors new SHINE counselors and is well
respected by her peers for her quick grasp of complex regulations and
insightful questions. She finds great pleasure in being able to save
money for those who may be living "hand to mouth” and is tenacious in
pursuing resolution in cases where insurers or providers have charged
clients incorrectly.
Gertrude (Trudi) Myers (77) has served as a
senior companion volunteer at Seniors Inc. for 12 years. Trudi has
touched and improved the quality of life for approximately 1,000 at-risk
older adults, those with disabilities and elder victims of crime. Trudi
is currently serving at a low-income senior housing facility. When she
found it a challenge to get residents out of their apartments to
socialize and participate in activities, she created a breakfast program
with complementary activities of special appeal to the residents,
countering their preference for isolation. Trudi has been instrumental
in encouraging others to volunteer with the Senior Companion Program;
she has recruited 15 older adults to serve. Trudi has now started her
first year on the Denver Senior Companion Program Advisory Council and
is a real asset. She provides fundraising ideas and encourages Advisory
Council Members to get involved in fundraising and visiting the program
sites.
Mary Anne Page (78) is a walking
advertisement for the value of the Meals-on-Wheels program and the value
of being a volunteer. The program was four years old in 1988 when she
joined. She immediately realized that one volunteer needed to learn the
job of the program coordinator in case a substitute was needed if the
paid employee had to miss work. She stepped up to the challenge and
became that trained person, donning a hairnet and working in the kitchen
to seal and sort the food trays for each route. She is an excellent
recruiter and trainer for drivers. And, in addition to faithful
once-a-week delivery for more than two decades, she is on call as a
substitute driver. She helps organize and keep up-to-date the driver's
guide book for each of the routes.
Duane Phillips (62) started volunteering
with the Senior Legal Hotline (SLH) in 2008 and has been a fixture ever
since. Gradually increasing his hours, he now spends four-to-five hours
a day, four-to-five days a week helping California’s senior population.
He truly exemplifies the best of what retired attorneys have to offer as
SLH volunteers: consistency, reliability and rapport with other seniors
who call for legal help. The sheer volume of his contribution far
exceeds that of all other steady, retired attorneys. Since joining the
corps of volunteers, he has clocked more than 1,525 hours and worked on
740 cases, virtually all of them as primary counsel.
Joze Pihlar (77) has been a respite
volunteer for almost six years and has provided more than 400 hours of
care for individuals who have disabilities or are chronically ill. His
involvement enables families to continue caring for their loved ones at
home by helping relieve them of the emotional stresses of full-time
caregiving. His work has a direct impact on the community by providing
an essential direct health supportive service—allowing families to
continue to care for loved ones in their homes. Joze is always willing
to go the extra mile to be the best volunteer he can be, eagerly
participating in training and always demonstrating his compassion.
Recently, the caregiver of the person whom he visits publicly
acknowledged how he has changed her life. She spoke with conviction
about the quality of care and friendship he exhibits toward her family,
and she described how the free time he provides for her has helped her
regain her emotional health and enabled her to continue caring for her
husband who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
Charles Pollard (95) has been a volunteer at
the Waxter Center for Senior Citizens for more than 25 years. He drives
himself to the center five days a week for five hours a day. When he
first became a volunteer he took on the responsibility of greeting
seniors who had mobility needs and assisting them to their destinations.
His assistance had a positive impact on their lives, making them feel
alive and less dependent. Today Charles assists with the Eating Together
Meal Program by serving more than 50 meals a day for both breakfast and
lunch to those who enter the center. He also initiated the Welcome
Volunteer Committee, set up to help all new volunteers become familiar
with the center and its volunteer positions. In addition, Charles holds
occasional seminars with area elementary school children to give them a
"blast from the past" and explore how things have changed since he was a
young boy.
Larry Rivers (68) contacted the Metropolitan
Area Agency on Aging in 2005 because he wanted to volunteer. With a
background in healthcare, a knack for problem-solving and a keen
interest in serving seniors, he was attracted to the Health Insurance
Counseling program through the Senior LinkAge Line®. After successfully
completing the training, he received certification as a State Health
Insurance Counselor. He demonstrates not only a clear knowledge of
Medicare but also an extraordinary ability to explain it in a manner
that seniors understand. His genuine kindness and ability to connect
with people proves so impressive that older adults seek him out. In
addition to direct counseling, especially during the open enrollment
period for Medicare, Part D plans, Larry also helps to train and mentor
new volunteers to the Senior LinkAge Line® Health Insurance Counseling
program.
Betty Thacker (82) was one of the first
people to respond to a plea in 1971 for volunteers to deliver hot meals
to the homebound elderly in Knoxville, Tennessee. Thirty-eight years
later, she is still active, not only in delivering Mobile Meals, but in
serving on the Friends of Mobile Meals Advisory Board.
A compassionate Betty Thacker dishes out hugs and
cheery greetings as she checks on the well-being of the elderly on her
Mobile Meals route. She has driven more than 22,800 miles and
distributed more than 54,000 meals. She also follows through with
getting assistance for the individuals on her route who have specific
needs and is an advocate for all seniors. In 1997 she was one of the
team of volunteers who originated a fundraising effort to support a
major expansion of the program to add almost 200 persons who otherwise
would not have been served. This continues to be a viable fundraising
program and the team of volunteers became the Friends of Mobile Meals
Advisory Board.
Hilda Woel (71) began with the Montgomery
County Long Term Care Ombudsman Program in November 1985. Originally
from Puerto Rico, Hilda and her husband, Ralph, were self-employed small
business owners who raised a family in the area. Hilda was seeking
opportunities to give back to her community in a manner that was
concrete, would have an impact on the lives of others and might be
considered "just a little different." She joined the small team who
called themselves "ombudsmen" under a program that had just celebrated
its 10th anniversary. Twenty years later, she participated in the
program's thirtieth anniversary and contributed significant service
during each year in between. Hilda has been assigned as the advocate
for the 165 residents who live and receive care at Kensington Nursing
and Rehabilitation Center in Kensington, Maryland. Hilda has routinely
visited the residents at this nursing home at least once a week for the
past 25 years. In addition, she has responded to complaints, calls for
assistance, provided consultations to the facility staff about good care
practices, investigated allegations of abuse and neglect and celebrated
victories when resident rights prevail.
>> National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
(n4a) is the leading voice on aging issues for Area Agencies on Aging
(AAAs) across the country and a champion for Title VI Native American
aging programs. N4a's primary mission is to build the capacity of its
members to help older persons and persons with disabilities live with
dignity and choices in their homes and communities for as long as
possible. (www.n4a.org)
>> MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife in
1976 to carry on its longstanding tradition of corporate contributions
and community involvement. Grants support health, education, civic and
cultural programs throughout the United States. For more information
about the Foundation, visit
www.metlife.org.
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