By Elizabeth
Richards
On Tuesday,
July 14, Opportunity Alliance volunteers for the Foster Grandparent and Senior
Companions programs were recognized at a drive-through event held at Windham
Primary School.
“Each year
we celebrate the achievements of our foster grandparents and senior
companions,” said Susan Lavigne, Director of the Foster Grandparent and Senior
Companions programs. Typically, the event is a large in-person gathering
attended by teachers, principals, families, case workers and social
workers. “All the people associated with
our volunteers gather to say thank you.
That’s a pretty joyous event,” Lavigne said.
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| Edna Stewart, a Foster Grandparent for a first-grade classroom at Windham Primary School, was among a group of volunteers who received recognition in a drive-through ceremony at Windham Primary School on Tuesday. Also shown is Alayna Mladucky, a coordinator for the Opportunity Alliance's Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Program. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
This year, with
the restrictions of the pandemic, things needed to look different. “Of course, during the pandemic, one cannot
have a large group. We still wanted to recognize our volunteers, so we created
this drive through recognition which we’re doing in four locations around
Southern Maine,” Lavigne said.
Windham
Primary School, which is one of several area sites that host Foster
Grandparents, offered the use of the bus lane.
This was perfect for the event, Lavigne said, making it safe for staff
and for the volunteers, who received a bag of small tokens of appreciation to
thank them for their service.
Volunteers
drove through the bus lane, stopping at a designated spot and staying in their
cars to safely interact with the staff, who wore masks and maintained a safe
distance throughout the event. Some
teachers from the school were also present to cheer on the volunteers from
afar.
“They’re
incredible volunteers in the community, and they mean a lot,” Lavigne
said. This event is one way to say thank
you, she said. At the end of the school
year, students and teachers also participated in “Project Gratitude” creating
artwork, poems, letters and videos to be forwarded to the volunteers as a thank
you, since they couldn’t thank them in person, Lavigne said.
Receiving
recognition Tuesday were Foster Grandparents Ellie DiDonato (Fourth Grade,
Windham Primary School); Polly Dyer (Fourth Grade, Manchester School); Marianne
Marden (Kindergarten, Windham Primary School); Dolores McMillin (First Grade,
Windham Primary School); Joan Montefesco (First Grade, Raymond Elementary
School); Laura Menezes (Second Grade, Windham Primary School); Laura Sue
Nichols (Second Grade, Windham Primary School); Nancy Regier (Fourth Grade,
Windham Christian Academy); and Bonnie Rogers (Kindergarten, Windham Primary
School. Also receiving recognition Tuesday was Elizabeth Paige, a Senior
Companion visiting older adults throughout the Lake Region.
The Foster
Grandparent and Senior Companions programs are an opportunity for individuals
55 and older to give back to their community in two different ways. Foster Grandparents volunteer between 10 and
40 hours per week in schools, Head Start programs, and child development centers. Senior Companions visit isolated older adults
in their homes to offer companionship, help them get to medical appointments, do
grocery shopping or essential errands, and provide respite for family
caregivers.
The pandemic
has changed the way these programs have operated in recent months. After the abrupt end of the school year, Foster
Grandparents remained in contact joining in Zoom meetings or becoming pen pals
with students. Senior Companions shifted
to conducting wellness checks and socializing via telephone calls.
“One of the
things that has become strikingly clear during this pandemic is the crisis of
isolation, especially for older adults. Our senior companions have not skipped
a beat,” Lavigne said. They maintained contact with their clients,
reinforcing the need to stay in contact with their doctors for regular health
needs, making sure they had food, and “mostly making sure people had someone to
talk to,” Lavigne said.
According to
the 2019-2020 Annual Report for the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companions programs,
a total of 143 volunteers have provided 108,005 hours of community service
throughout the year in Southern Maine.
25 of those have been volunteering for 10 years or more. Lavigne said
that the number recognized at the four events was 117, as some have left the
program since the beginning of the year.
Both
programs are national programs, locally sponsored by the Opportunity
Alliance. They are funded by the Corporation
for National and Community Service. The
Opportunity Alliances sponsors the Foster Grandparent program in Cumberland,
York and western Oxford counties, and the Senior Companions program in
Cumberland and York counties.
“We would
like people to know that the foster grandparents and senior companions are
incredible, valuable community members,” said Lavigne. “The Opportunity Alliance is incredibly proud
of its volunteers and we look forward to them returning fully in the community
when it’s safe for everybody.” <
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