October 2007No sooner
than we think we'
re settling in, we'
re faced with change.
I am sad to announce that Dana Bear has
retired as Director of the Lubbock RSVP.
Dana has such a sweet heart for the
volunteers and RSVP, and she supported its mission and endeavors with
compassion and great gusto.
Not only did Dana direct the program, but
she was and still is a volunteer.
I am selfishly hoping that we see her in
even more volunteer roles in this new chapter of her life.
Best wishes to you, Dana, in your
retirement!
FROM MY HEART TO YOURS...
I'
ve never really thought
about being in a place in which I did not choose to be.
Nor have I thought about being led where I
did not wish to go.
I'
ve not thought about being in a place
where I knew no one with whom to share a smile, a word of greeting, a
story from time past, a fond memory.
Within the last month, I have
been uncomfortably introduced to the lives of several dear people who
find themselves in this same scenario.
These precious folks, who were at one time
very vital and active, now find themselves sitting in a room, unable to
do for themselves.
The days are long.
If you are drawn to a volunteer service of
companionship, we would love to share some great opportunities with you.
There are some precious folks who would love
to see your happy face as you walk through their door!
Please call us at the RSVP office at
742-2423.
OTHER VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
South Plains Food Bank Kids Cafe:
nourishing children…body, mind and spirit.
Did you know that one out of every four
children in the South Plains lives in poverty?
The South Plains Kids Cafe
is an
after-school feeding program designed to combat childhood hunger.
The South Plains Kids Cafe provides children
of Lubbock'
s economically
disadvantaged neighborhoods with nutritious evening meals in a safe
environment.
The South Plains Kids Cafe
Program is
currently seeking dedicated volunteers, willing to help out a few hours
a week on a continual basis.
Volunteers are needed to serve meals and
plan/monitor after-school activities (reading, games, mentoring).
For more information, or to become a Kids
Cafe
volunteer, please contact Tammy Hester at 806-544-1332.
Children'
s
Protective Services has several opportunities for volunteers.
The Rainbow Room is an emergency resource room managed by Community
Partners of Lubbock.
It consists of a store-like setting that
allows CPS workers to go "
shopping"
for the children and families on
their caseloads.
The room is stocked with new items such as
clothing, shoes, toys and games, diapers, formula, school supplies,
hygiene products and cleaning products.
Every item in the Rainbow Room is donated or
purchased from monetary donations.
Volunteers are needed to coordinate the
Rainbow Room inventory, log in and "
stock"
donations, straighten and
organize the Rainbow Room, assist with "
thank-you events"
for donors and
write thank you notes.
Lifebooks:
Most of us live and grow in families where
stories, tradition, heirlooms and legacies connect us with our past,
ground us in our culture and launch us toward our future.
Children in placement have been uprooted,
and amidst chaos and confusion, there is little or no consistent trail
of memories and artifacts to give form to the shaping of their lives.
The lifebook is one method for connecting an
adopted or foster child with his/her past.
It creates a concrete, visual record which
helps a child answer some basic questions:
"
Who am I?"
, "
How did I get here?"
, "
Where
am I going?"
.
The lifebook changes and grows over time as
the child'
s life evolves.
CPS needs volunteers who love to scrapbook
and can utilize their skills to create meaningful lifebooks for children
in foster care.
If you are interested in any of these CPS
opportunities, please contact the RSVP office at 742-2423.
Interim Healthcare needs
volunteers to provide care, compassion and support to hospice patients
and their families.
Some of the many ways in which you can
provide an invaluable service to these families is by directly
supporting them, running errands as needed, accompanying patient/family
to appointments and assisting with the bereavement program.
Interim Healthcare would also welcome
regular administrative support.
On September 25, there will be a
Ribbon-Cutting ceremony at 10:30am
and an Open House 10am -
1pm.
Interim Healthcare is located at
5224 75th St.
If you are interested in any of their
service activities, please contact RSVP at 742-2423.
To
volunteer, or for more information about these or other volunteer
positions, please call the RSVP office at 742-2423.
HOW do I join RSVP?
Becoming a member of RSVP is simple as long as you are at least 55 and have some time to volunteer. Just call the office at 742-2423 and chat with Karon McDowell about your interests. If you are not certain what you would like to do, we can mention several current volunteer opportunities and send you a list of the sort of jobs which RSVP members are presently doing to whet your appetite. If you have a special skill or talent that you would like to utilize, we will search to find just the right job for you. Just mail in the
enrollment form
(requires Adobe Reader) and we will call you!
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