This week, two local senior organizations joined the nationwide celebration of the first Senior Corps Week,  spotlighting the extraordinary work done by Senior Corps members in communities across Mississippi.

    The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Meridian/Lauderdale County and the Lauderdale County Foster Grandparents Program are two of three programs presented by Senior Corps (Senior Companion Program is the third).

    Although Senior Corps Week is over, the commitment and endless hours RSVP and Foster Grandparents volunteers give to our community continues. It is for this reason that we spotlight both local organizations.

Retired Senior

Volunteer Program

    After the death of her husband, Willie, Ella Bullins was looking for a way to become involved in the community.

    “When my husband became ill, we came back to Meridian after living in Greenwood for about 35 years,” said Bullins, a native of DeKalb. “After he died, I was lonely and didn’t know a lot of people from here.”

    A friend told her about the Lauderdale County Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) and after some persuading, Bullins signed up as a volunteer.

    “I was assigned to work at Miller Art Gallery at Meridian Community College; I fell in love with it right away and wanted to be there,” she said.

    Three years later, Bullins continues to volunteer at the college’s art gallery one day a week for three hours.

    “I enjoy seeing the art, but I especially enjoy meeting the people who come to the gallery,” she said. “I wanted to help others, but really being a RSVP volunteer has helped me. Instead of being alone and focusing on myself, I focus on other people.”

    Bullins is just one of the more than 200 seniors ages 55 and older who serve the Meridian area through RSVP.

    “Last year, our volunteers logged over 24,000 hours,” said Diana Glover, RSVP director. “RSVP volunteers contribute to the community through service at 27 volunteer stations.”

    Sponsored by the United Way of East Mississippi and the city of Meridian, RSVP offers an extensive variety of volunteer opportunities to senior adults who each participate in activities across the county.

     “RSVP is centered on allowing its volunteers to choose where, when and also how many hours they would like to work,” Glover said.

    Among the places where local RSVP volunteers serve are Girl Scouts, Gulf Pines Council; Boy Scouts, Choctaw Area Council; Meals on Wheels; LOVE’s Kitchen; Care Lodge; Meridian/Lauderdale County Public Library; the Salvation Army; Meridian Community College Library; and the Mississippi State Welcome Center in Toomsuba.

    “Everyone has a talent or skill,” Glover said.

    And no one recognizes and appreciates this more than those who benefit from the services rendered by RSVP volunteers.

    “These wonderful volunteers allow MCC Miller Art Gallery to have ‘open’ hours beyond our financial ability. Without these volunteers, the Miller Art Gallery would only be able to operate three hours per day. Right now they help us to operate an additional three hours per day. This allows us to be open and available to the public beyond what we have money to stay open,” said John Marshall, MCC Art Department coordinator.

    “They also add a social interaction with visitors to the art gallery as greeters, and help maintain the security of our facility. Without RSVP, we would simply be less noticed on campus and within the community. Frankly stated, RSVP is one of the best volunteer programs in Meridian,” Marshall said.

    While some volunteers have designated stations they go to each week, others, like 93-year-old Lucille Garrett, go where they are needed.

    “Wherever there is a need, that’s where I go,” said Garrett, a RSVP volunteer for more than 20 years.

    Garrett, who became a volunteer shortly after retiring from the Meridian Housing Authority, said RSVP keeps her busy.

    “I just can’t sit around every day and rock,” she said. “Being a RSVP volunteer gives you something to do, something to look forward to every day to get you out of the house and see other people.”

    Garrett stuffs envelopes at the United Way office, performs tasks at the Boy Scouts headquarters and occasionally volunteers at the Welcome Center.

    Sandra C. Chambers, supervisor of the Welcome Center, said she heavily relies on the RSVP volunteers’ combination of professionalism and Southern charm when she is short staffed.

    “They are always cordial, polite and so much fun to be around; these ladies are great!” Chambers said.

    “They are more than willing to share personal and professional experiences, which are, in fact, a very helpful resource when creating new ideas for Welcome Center projects,” Chambers said. “In fact, the Senior Tea Party was a project that was born out of those great ideas. It was wonderful to have the volunteers serve tea and refreshments to visitors to the state of Mississippi. And it was all done with such charm and grace.

    “I can’t tell you how much we appreciate those volunteers and the wonderful bonds of friendship that we’ve developed with them,” she said. “Please, keep up the good work!”

    But volunteerism is not limited to the 27 RSVP stations. Volunteers who are physically unable to go to the sites may join the Helping Hands Program to lend their support to other disabled or homebound individuals by calling them and doing welfare checks.

    “It really helps because it shows the individual that someone cares, and friendships often develop in the process of these calls,” Glover said.

    The Lauderdale County Retired Senior Volunteer Program is currently recruiting new volunteers to meet the demands particularly from other non-profit organizations.

    “Many not-for-profits are facing drastic budget cuts and are struggling to continue their present levels of service,” Glover said. “And they are turning to RSVP for assistance.”

Foster Grandparents

Program

    Seated at a table with TJ Harris Lower Elementary School first graders Tamira Porter and Akeria Holloway, retiree Neida Harris joins in a rhythmic hand-clapping chant about telling time led by teacher Deloris Riddle.

    “Longhand, short hand,” chants Riddle, to which the students and Harris respond, “Long hand, short hand.”

    As Riddle continues the exercise and demonstrates on a small clock how the hands move around, Harris holds up a big yellow clock to show Tamira and Akeria.

    While Harris is providing one-on-one instruction to the students, she is not a teacher or an assistant. Harris is one of nine Foster Grandparents who can be seen in classrooms throughout the campus.

    Sponsored by Multi-County Community Service Agency Inc., the Lauderdale County Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) provides older individuals 55 and older the opportunity to give one-on-one attention to children and youth with special needs.

    “Our 122 FGPs strengthen communities by enriching the lives of these children and youth,” said Carlotta Downing, program director.

    Foster Grandparents are assigned to Meridian Public Schools, Quitman Lower Elementary, Cook Elementary School in Lowndes County, St. Patrick Catholic School, Head Start centers in Meridian and Toomsuba, Friends of Children Head Start programs in Quitman, Heidelberg and Bay Springs, the Care Lodge Domestic Shelter, Youth Excitement Team, Meridian Parks and Recreation and at libraries in Meridian, Clarke and Jasper counties.

    FGP makes such a positive impact that many agencies call volunteers and seniors requesting to be Foster Grandparents, Downing said.

    “The Foster Grandparents are so dedicated, loyal and very excited about the time they spend with the children,” she said. “They are doing a fabulous job.”

    Janet Fortner, lead teacher of Harris Lower, agrees.

    “The Foster Grandparents are a great asset, providing an extra hand in the classroom and one-on-one instruction,” Fortner said.

    FGPs receive monthly in-service training. They have specific assigned children, with assignment plans and are under the guidance of a teacher.

    “Required evaluations and documentation have been returned showing that special needs and specific goals have been met and indications of what the FGP has accomplished,” Downing said.

    “At least 90 percent of the teachers report positive results and request the FGPs back. The Foster Grandparents do make a positive impact,” the FGP director said.

    From January to June, the Foster Grandparents in the Lauderdale County Program served a total of 51,870 hours.