December 2005
Deep
within each one of us lies the ability to step up and care for those in
need--and at no time of the year is this more evident than during the
Holiday season. No matter what your faith or ethnic background, the
feeling of love and caring for others permeates this wonderful season of
the year. For many years, our community has “stepped up to the plate”
and provided a plethora of toys for children and meals for folks who
might not be able to have a good Christmas dinner. But is there a
forgotten segment of our society?
Have you
given any thought to the silent seniors in Lubbock who may not have
anyone to think of them during the holidays? They were once like
you—putting aside a few gift dollars from their paychecks, preparing
feasts, hiding special toys for the children, wrapping surprises in
shiny paper, and making it the most special day of their year. But time
has flown by and families and friends have passed away or moved on.
Although the memories are there, Christmas is no longer a time of
surprises for them.
This year
may be a different story though. Spearheaded by local senior care
agencies, there are two special projects that apply the “Golden Rule”
and ask you to “Be a Santa to a Senior”. The “Operation Golden Rule”
program is sponsored locally by Visiting Angels and “Be a Santa to a
Senior” is a project of Home Instead Senior Care.
“Be a
Santa to a Senior” will bring holiday gifts to over 170 senior citizens.
The participating deserving seniors have requested items that they need
valued at no more than $30 per person. Christmas trees featuring
ornaments with first names of seniors and their gift requests are on
display at K-Mart and several assisted-living and retirement centers
throughout the city. Shoppers may select an ornament, buy the items
listed and return them unwrapped to Kmart Super Center through December
9. Volunteers will then wrap and distribute the gifts to the recipients.
The focus of “Operation Golden Rule” is aimed at giving back to our
seniors who are residents of long term care facilities. These special
folks have been targeted because they are often the “overlooked”
population. The Visiting Angels staff has visited with the management
staff of long term care facilities to ascertain what items their
residents might need or want, items have been donated, and now they just
need volunteers to help sort and distribute the products to 33 nursing
homes. Sorting and basket preparation helpers will be needed on
Saturday, December 3, and distribution assistance would be appreciated
on the following Saturday, December 10th.
If you
can give a little of your time to help seniors this busy season, give
the RSVP office a call, 742-2423.
OTHER
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES:
LUBBOCK HOPE & HELP CENTER, 1411 19th St. (south side of St. across
from Alderson Auto), needs volunteers to transport former-evacuee
residents of Lubbock to clinic appointments at Lubbock Community Health
Center on Broadway, Social Security offices, to get a drivers’ license,
etc. from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the
month. Volunteers will pick up the new residents at the Hope & Help
Center, not at their homes. An orientation will be held at the Central
Lubbock Church of Christ, 1409-23rd St. on the Tuesday before the 2nd
and 4th Thursdays before you begin this service.
SOUTH
PLAINS FOOD BANK, 4610 Locust, has two special volunteer needs this
month. They will be having Saturday Volunteer Days on December 3, 10 and
17 from 9:00 a.m. until noon to prepare boxes for Christmas giving.
Individuals are welcome to drop in any Saturday if you can help, but
groups need to sign up. Christmas boxes to individuals/families with
food vouchers will be distributed at the food bank on December 17, 21,
and 22 from 9:00 – 5:00 and on the 23rd from 9:00 – 1:00. A lot of help
will be needed with this great task.
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 Ronda Casey or Bonne Phillips 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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