March –April 2010 Buncombe/Madison
RSVP Signature Program Updates
Simple Acts of Green Team Draft-Constrictors “Welcome
RSVP Newsletter Enriching Lives Meeting Community Needs RSVP is the Volunteer Center for adults 55+ that works to keep you healthy, active and involved in your community. RSVP partners with over 120 community agencies in the counties of Buncombe, Henderson, Madison and Transylvania to offer you, volunteer, social and educational opportunities.
all, meet Drafty the Draft-Constrictor the mascot for the Simple Acts of Green Team!” What a great introduction to a fun day of drafting (oops I mean crafting). RSVP traveled to Laurel Woods Apartments in South Asheville to launch the Simple Acts of Green signature program. Residents volunteered to stuff and decorate 17 draft-stoppers or “draft-constrictors” as we like to call them. The completed “draftconstrictors have been donated to the Council on Aging and Meals on Wheels for their at home
clients. Draft-constrictors are a very simple act of green with a big impact on our environment. Sealing drafts under doors and windows can save you 5-30% on your home energy cost; a CO2 offset of 550lbs which means the volunteers at Laurel Park helped stop 9350lbs of CO2 from entering our environment. Get involved with this fun project– no crafting skills necessary! We are looking for groups to bring “Drafty” to; call us if your group or residents would like to get involved. This coming March 12th, 11-2pm, Drafty will be visiting Lakeview Senior Center in Black Mountain. A light lunch will be provided. Call RSVP for details.
Call us to get involved 828-251-6622
Special Thanks to our Newsletter Sponsor
Pictures here are: Helen Calder, Carolynn Cohron, Mary Thomas, Cecilia Miller, Beth James and Anne Saunders. Missing from the photo are Andy Harper and Mary Jackson
Continued
RSVP Signature Program Updates VAP- Last Chance to Take a Bit out of Scams The Victims Assistance Program (VAP) is pleased to announce that 20 volunteers have signed up for the March 31st training session. If you haven’t signed up yet and are still interested contact Christina Giles in our office. Christina Giles can be reached at 251-6622 ext 108 or email christina@landofsky.org. To refresh your memory, the Victims Assistance Program utilizes the skills and availability of trained volunteers to assist the special detectives in the State Attorney General's Office to provide follow-up with community older adults who have been victims of crime to assess their level of functioning, explore a safety plan, identify community and social supports and make referrals. The program’s ultimate goal is to reduce the incidence of repeat scams.
Operation Toasty Toes Expanding We are happy to announce that Toasty Toes now has a firm footing in Brevard. At our last meeting we had 7 volunteers attend and seven completed items ready to be sent off to the troops with more to come. If you wish to join the group, we meet the 3rd Thursday of each month at Silvermont Senior Center in Brevard from 10-11am. Just give us a call so we will know to expect you. Our next meeting will be March 18th. After a successful launch of Toasty Toes in Brevard we are ready to expand the program to Buncombe County and Madison County. Interested in getting involved? Call us at 251-6622 or rsvp@landofsky.org ask for Patti. Once we get enough interest we can pick a time and location.
Recent Letter of Thanks To Operation Toasty Toes I would like to thank you all for thinking about us and spending your time making all the hats, gloves and other items for us. Something like that has a very personal touch that means much more than candy or the other items that people send. They will be very useful for us even after returning to the US. Our unit is based in Alaska and I am used to a very active personal life, so the caps and gloves will be great. I grew up in the Asheville/Hendersonville/Brevard area and graduated from A.C. Reynolds HS. It was a surprise to find out that both my and Maj. Taylor's parents live in Hendersonville. Again, thank you for all the thoughts. Your generosity has really been a godsend and brought warm thoughts of home. Sincerely, Staff Sergeant Matthew MacRoberts Afghanistan
Station Spotlights
Welcome New RSVP Workstations Aging at Home in Henderson County Does this sound familiar? “I am a long distance caregiver and I don’t know where to turn to for services in my loved one’s community.” Being a caregiver near or far has never been an easy feat. There is now a website that promises to make the process easier called “Aging at Home” created by the Aging at Home Consortium of Henderson County. Aging at Home lists in-home services in Henderson County. Currently there are roughly 50 providers listed on the site and we would like to see more. To help grow the listing of services volunteers are needed to work from home to research area providers, contacting them to explain the free service and assisting them with answering any questions. Volunteers receive all the training and support they need to be successful. Having access to a computer for email and research would be helpful but not necessary. Volunteers with previous customer service experience would be a good fit. A couple of hours a week of your time will bring caregivers peace of mind and help their loveones maintain a better quality and safety of life at home. Interested? Call Vicki at 251-6622 or Vicki@landofsky.org . To learn more about this website go to www.HendersonCoNCAgingAtHome.org.
Lakeview Senior Center If you haven’t been over to Black Mountain to visit Lake Tomahawk Park you are really missing out. Come enjoy the many picnic areas, community garden, horseshoe pits, fishing piers, boating, outdoor performance stage, swimming pool, tennis courts and a .55 miles walking trail around the lake. In the center of all these wonderful recreational opportunities is the Lakeview Senior Center housed within the old boat house right on the lake. Lakeview Senior Center offers a boatload (pun intended) of opportunities to stay active. A little volunteer magic is needed at the center to help maintain its wonderful programming. Volunteer teachers are needed to teach or lead a group in whatever they love, be it arts & crafts, history, literature, languages, exercise, or bug collecting. This is your chance to share your life experience with others. Your help is also needed with a number of Parks & Recreation events; the next upcoming event is the March 27th East Egg Hunt. Lastly, you can also assist with the congregate dining program to help serve meals and socialize with participants. Call Patti at 251-6622 or rsvp@landofsky.org to get involved.
Volunteer Opportunities We May Sound Like a Broken Record but…. Call-A-Ride (CAR) Program Needs Help! Call-A-Ride or CAR, is the Council on Aging of Buncombe County's volunteer transportation program that provides rides to seniors who can no longer drive or use public or community transportation. Volunteers use their own vehicles to transport folks primarily to their medical appointments (the greatest need) and then to other necessary appointments, including the occasional grocery store trip. The majority of CAR's clients tend to be in their 80's and quite frail and they need the personalized service CAR can provide. The volunteer will pick them up at home, take them to the doctor, in most cases wait with them, and bring them home again, perhaps via the pharmacy if they need to stop. It is a tremendous relief to clients to have somewhere to turn when they can no longer use their vehicles. The Council does not charge for this service but does accept contributions which help with the reimbursement we offer to volunteers of 40 cents per mile. CAR is desperately short of volunteers at the present time. The average trip lasts 1½ to 2 hours, and most volunteers offer at least one trip a week.
VA Hospital in Asheville The VA Hospital serves veterans from a 19-county area in WNC, parts of Eastern Tennessee, and upstate South Carolina and Georgia. Volunteers are needed for two positions: Information Desk: Volunteers are needed to staff the information desk in the evenings and weekends to offer assistance to visitors in locating hospitalized patients. Shuttle Drivers Volunteers are needed to operate Parking Lot Shuttle vehicles to transport patients and visitors to/from their parked vehicle to the Medical Center's main entrance. Currently seeking volunteers from 12noon-5:00pm.
Madison County Nutrition Program We all know that healthy food and good social interaction is essential to a successful life. This fact doesn’t change as we age, it becomes even more important. The Madison County Nutrition Program provides essential services to our older adults population through Home Delivered Meals and Congregate Dining. Volunteer opportunities are available throughout the community. • Congregate Dining: Clients and volunteers gather 4 times per week to have an afternoon meal together. They share a meal and reap the rewards of interaction with their peers. Each volunteer has their own task. Some duties include carrying trays to tables, placing milk or tea on tables, assisting with cleanup after clients have eaten, getting coffee for clients when they first arrive at the Meal Site. • Home Delivered Meals: Deliver meals to elderly and the home-bound throughout Madison County once a week from 9:30 –12:30. Location: Hot Springs, Mars Hill, Marshall, Shelton Laurel, Spring Creek.
Volunteer Opportunities Preschool Outreach Program The Buncombe County Public Library's Preschool Outreach Project (POP) is currently recruiting new volunteers to read to young children in childcare centers across Buncombe County. POP volunteers are assigned a nearby center, which they visit to provide fun, entertaining story times for children ages 2-5. Story times include books, songs, puppets and/or flannel stories. The library provides all materials, support, and training. Interested new volunteers must attend a mandatory one day training workshop, which occurs twice yearly. The next training workshop will be Saturday, March 13th, 2010 at the East Asheville Library from 9:00-2:30. They ask for a nine month commitment to the program. Each volunteer is expected to visit their assigned center twice monthly. Most participants find that they spend about 5 hours per month on the program. No experience necessary, just a respect for children and a love of books!
Habitat for Humanity Deconstruction Team Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity is seeking volunteers with experience in building and construction to be part of the Deconstruction Team. Volunteers will assist in the removal of usable building materials for resell at the Home Store.
Short Term Opportunities Salvation Army– Buncombe Support The Salvation Army by receiving gently used clothing donations from SteinMart customers at its Give & Receive Event. Volunteers will be responsible for receiving and tallying donations, and distributing tax receipts and store coupons (20% off one regular priced item). Flexible 2-4 hour volunteer shifts are available throughout the day (10:00am-9:00pm). March 5 &6 , 2010 10:00AM - 9:00PM, Location: StienMart on Merrimon Avenue
Scramble to Help Haiti Mission Haiti and Hearts with Hands are working together to obtain donations from the general public to send to Haiti. They are accepting donations at two new drop-off sites, one in Candler and one in Swannanoa and are calling for volunteers to assist. Volunteers are needed to greet donors and help (only if physically able) to unload donated goods. Provide friendly and informed customer service to donors, assisting with receipts. Maintain a safe and neat work environment. RSVP members that are interested in volunteering are to contact Roy Blankenship, Volunteer Coordinator for Mission Haiti directly at 231-5680 (let them know you are a RSVP member). Volunteers are needed in four hour shifts, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., in Candler and Swannanoa. For More Volunteer Opportunities Call the RSVP office at 828-251-6622 or 1-800-727-557, RSVP@landofsky.org Check out our website at http://sites.google.com/site/rsvpserniorcorp/Home
MLK Day of Service
Everyday Essentials Toiletries Drive Congratulations! Over 400 pounds of toiletries were collected through our Everyday Essentials Toiletries Drive. You all did a tremendous job getting the word out and collecting items for the cause. All those toothbrushes, soaps and laundry detergents were delivered to ABCCM, Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry, Hot Springs Salvation Army, Transylvania County Christian Ministry (Sharing House) and Interfaith Assistance in mid February. Cheryl Wilson, Volunteer Coordinator with ABCCM was over the moon with appreciation for the donations. She said, "We are always in such need for toiletries, few people donate these types of items. Anytime you want to donate more toiletries we would be happy to receive them. "
Thank You to All Who Participated A special Thank You to Dickies Half Price Foods in Fairview NC for their generous donations of a box full of deodorant and several large bottles of laundry detergent.
AARP Driver Safety Program at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council Cars have changed. So have the traffic rules, driving conditions, and the roads you travel every day. Some drivers age 50-plus have never looked back since they got their first driver's licenses, but even the most experienced benefit from brushing up on their driving skills. What Will I Learn by Taking the Course? You can expect to learn current rules of the road, defensive driving techniques, and how to operate your vehicle more safely in today's increasingly challenging driving environment. You'll learn adjustments to accommodate common agerelated changes in vision, hearing, and reaction time. After completing the course, you will have a greater appreciation of driving challenges and of how you can avoid potential collisions and injuries to yourself and others.
What Else Do I Need to Know? You may be eligible to receive an insurance discount upon completing the course, so consult your agent for details. AARP membership is not required to take the course. There is no test to pass. The classroom course costs only $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members.
Date: Monday April 19th Time: 12:30-4:30pm Location: Land-of-Sky Regional Council Costs: AARP Members $12, others $14 Registration: Patti Cameron: RSVP Coordinator at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council 251-6622 ext 126 patti@landofsky.org We can accept up to 24 people.
Viva La Volunteers Dust off your sombrero, get out your maracas and get ready for a fiesta! It is time to celebrate the tremendous contributions of the LandofLand -of -Sky Regional Council’s Volunteers Come join us for brunch, live music and awards.
WEDNESDAY MAY 5TH, 2010, NC Arboretum at 10am (100 100 Frederick Law Olmsted Way, Asheville NC 28806)
Reservations Required: Call Brenda DeLaCruz 828828-251251-6622 or 11-800800-727727-0557
Brenda@landofsky.org FREE TO VOLUNTEERS AND THEIR SUPERVISORS.
ADULT GUESTS ARE WELCOME AT A $5 CHARGE.
Retired & Senior Volunteer Program Land-of-sky Regional Council. 339 New Leicester Hwy, Suite 140, Asheville, NC 28806 Tel: (828)-251-6622 or 1-800-727-0557 www.landofsky.org
PRSRT-STD US Postage PAID Asheville, NC Permit no. 367
Return Service Requested
RSVP Coordinators Patti Cameron ext 126 Buncombe & Madison Patti@landofsky.org, Vicki Jennings, Ext. 130 Henderson & Transylvania Vicki@landofsky.org Program Assistant Brenda DeLaCruz ext. 132 Brenda@landofsky.org (Call for Theatre Tickets)
News You Can Use The Lead Poisoning Prevention Program Learn to protect your health and that of your family and clients when working in an environment containing lead paint, varnish, stains, or shellac. Saturday, March 6, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. OR Friday, March 19, 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Contact Linda Block at the Lead Poisoning Prevention Program to register (828) 771-5821, LBlock@warren-wilson.edu
dents of Madison County who own their own home. Applicants must fit established income guidelines and be elderly, disabled or both. If you have questions, or wish to obtain an application to participate in the program, please contact John Connell at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council, at (828) 251-6622
Housing Repair Assistance Available
Early Memory Loss & Family Caregiver Support & Resources
The Land-of-Sky Regional Council is currently accepting applications from residents of Madison County to provide home repair assistance through a Single Family Rehabilitation (SFR) grant provided by the Nor th C a r ol i na Housing Finance Agency. The objectives of the SFR program are to facilitate aging in place among elderly and disabled homeowners through accessibility modifications; and to promote the long term affordability and lower operating costs of assisted units through energy efficiency measures and performance testing. Eligible potential recipients need to be full time resi-
The Family Caregiver Support Program at the Landof-Sky Regional Council has recently received funding to provide free respite services for caregivers of persons with Alzheimer or Dementia and to develop programming for people with early memory loss and their caregivers. The Family Caregiver Support Program is partnering with the Alzheimer’s Association, Project CARE and the Senior Companion Program to provide these services. Families can choose the type of respite and the provider they desire. To qualify for services; all families must be referred for respite by their physician and be told by a professional that their loved one has dementia or memory loss. For more information about these programs contact Family Caregiver Specialist, Carol McLimans at the Land-of-Sky Regional Council 828251-6622.