|
“We’re desperate,” said Angela Miller, who heads the volunteer program for the county’s Department of Senior Services. “We’ve just lost so many volunteers over the last year. Most of the folks who volunteer for us are retirees. They haven’t been quitting because of the rise in gasoline prices. They’ve been quitting due to their own health or due to the fact that they are becoming caregivers themselves. This makes things really difficult for us.”
According to Sabrina Orman, program manager for Home Delivered Meals, four areas of the county in critical need of volunteers for this worthy endeavor are Hasty, Wallburg, Silver Valley and Pilot.
“If I can get anybody to go with me one time (as a volunteer), they’ll be hooked,” Orman said. “People don’t realize the need that’s out there. The meals are great, but just a kind word and a friendly smile means so much to these people. It’s just a wonderful experience to be helping these needy people. In fact, 99 percent of our volunteers get more of a blessing out of delivering these meals than the people receiving them do.”
Allen Westmoreland, a retiree who lives in Archdale, has been a volunteer in the Home Delivered Meals Program for about four years. He often takes his twin grandchildren, Logan Elliott and Lucas Elliott, along with him on the deliveries.
“I really enjoy it,” said Westmoreland, who delivers in the Hasty area. “So many of these folks don’t even get to talk to anyone other than the people who come to deliver these meals.”
People who are interested in volunteering to deliver these meals are encouraged to call Miller at 474-2754, during normal business hours. Chances are they will have to leave a message in her voice mail, but a reply should soon be forthcoming.
“All they have to do is let me know that they’re interested and we will be right on that,” Miller said. “We’ve got to make sure that those homebound seniors are getting their meals every day. If we don’t have volunteers to go out and deliver the meals then we have to pull staff people from their positions to get these meals delivered. That means essential duties of the staff members’ jobs aren’t being met because these meals must be delivered.
Miller said that 241 seniors in the county and 82 in Thomasville are currently being served these meals.
“These are folks who can’t prepare a meal for themselves,” Miller said. “Therefore, they may not eat breakfast. They get their lunch from our meals program, and they might eat part of it then and save the other part for dinner. Some of our poorest and friendless folks are receiving those meals.”
While these people may be poor and short on available friends, they still have their pride.
“Seniors are proud. Most of them have worked all of their life and they’ve never really had to ask for a lot,” Miller said. “They are too proud to ask for a handout, so if we can get our foot in the door and we can offer assistance, then they may begin to trust us. That’s when we build a bridge, and when we cross that bridge, they eventually learn that they can count on us.”
Miller is constantly trying to recruit people who she can count on to volunteer in her department. Often she finds the experience frustrating.
“I do a lot of public speaking,” she said. “I can go out and beg and plead and explain to these people that we need volunteers and we’re desperate. Everybody looks, smiles and nods their heads, but then they leave.”
While the Home Delivered Meals program is in serious need for volunteer help, there are other programs under Miller’s umbrella that can also use some assistance from the kind-hearted.
“While our emergency cry is presently going out for our meals program, another biggy right now is finding volunteers for transportation to medical appointments,” Miller said. “We’re also desperate for church groups to
assist in the building of wheelchair ramps.”
Miller and the county would also appreciate volunteers to assist at the senior centers, both in Thomasville and Lexington.
“We have computer classes, computer labs and exercise classes, as well as other activities at these centers,” Miller said. “If you have a talent, we can literally put your talent to use, somewhere.”
Another project Miller is involved in is the Grocery Assistance Program. Food is donated through various sources, including the Times Community Food Challenge, and distributed to the senior citizens who need it.
“Our Grocery Assistance Program is for seniors, who can’t make ends meet,” Miller said. “It actually really got started along with the meals program because we have so many people in non-serving rural areas of the county.
Some seniors are paying rent, paying utility bills and paying for medicine, but think they can do without food. We don’t want any senior citizens to have to make the decision on whether to take their medicine or eat their
food.”
Miller, her volunteers and her coworkers are definitely on a mission.
“The mission of our agency is to help our seniors remain independent and in their own home,” Miller said. “By doing that we strive to provide the best service and the best program that that we can for the seniors of Davidson County. We literally help the seniors who fall in between the cracks.”
Miller agrees with Orman and Westmoreland that helping people from these terrible cracks rewards the helper.
“It will change your life on how you look at the way you live,” Miller said. If the people of this community would open their hearts to the needy who live here, they won’t be disappointed.”
Staff Writer Kevin Reid can be reached at 472-9500, ext. 230, or reid@tvilletimes.com.