LEAP students were back at the Senior Center, but this time it was for the Chamber’s Business After Hours, highlighting the good work of Stacey Loll and her staff.
And LEAP students were not alone, as some forty community members attended, including Representative Trey Wharton, Mayor Russell Humphrey, Chamber President Jason Brandolini, and, of course, the Senior Center’s Board members.
Visitors not only had a chance to see the physical space of the Senior Center, but also to tour it, enjoy the food provided by the non-profit (cooked by the wonderful chef, Rafael), and learn more about the program’s vital mission.
This mission includes providing an activity space within the facility, where seniors come on a daily basis for lunch, bingo, and companionship. A second leg of the mission is food delivery, with more than a hundred meals delivered each (week) day to food-insecure residents. And, third, the Center provides transportation to key sustenance and civic activities, such as voting, shopping, and medical visits.
With only two full-time staff members, the organization is heavily reliant on volunteers, many of whom handle the delivery of meals. As Director Loll noted, “You only have to deliver once, and when you do, you will know why we deliver meals and the extent to which our community needs this service.”
Certainly the drivers at the event echoed this sentiment, sharing stories with us about their experiences and the community’s needs. Moreover, they also spoke of the benefits they receive by helping. Volunteerism, as we have also learned through our own experiences at the Senior Center, isn’t just the volunteers giving to the community–it’s the impact that volunteerism has on the volunteers.
Speaking for ourselves, we certainly felt the impact, and after a bit of assistance to the staff and board with take-down, we left the Senior Center with the warm glow that comes from being part of a community that cares about others.
For those who would like to donate to the Senior Center, follow this link.
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