RSVP Volunteers, Christine Baldwin of Saylorsburg, Charles Cahn of Stroudsburg, Curtis Hargash of Kunkletown, Brian Hennberry of Delaware Water Gap, and George Vagelakos of Middle Smithfield and Roy Wilbur of Pocono Lake provided weekly deliveries of frozen food to Monroe County seniors who regularly received their daily hot meal through senior center congregate meals, but due to COVID were unable to get those meals otherwise.
Team-working together with Director Megargle, Gretchen Peters Senior Center Supervisor, Senior Center Coordinator Mara Cruz and Health and Wellness Coordinator Laura Pride, RSVP was approached to see if any of our volunteers would be willing to make these weekly deliveries to consumers all over the county to ensure their nutritional needs and food security were being met.
Staying active during winter months is usually a bit of a challenge for everyone – and that was before COVID hit. Cooler temperatures tend to make one want to stay warm, near the fireplace or under blankets, with a cup of something hot. RSVP volunteers are different though. Helping others is just in their nature. They have not let COVID or weather slow them down!
Jim and Carol O’Neill, RSVP Volunteers for 15 years, are excellent examples. In addition to a variety of volunteer opportunities she has done over those years, Carol has been a Meals on Wheels volunteer since she retired in 2007, and Jim is her navigator, reading directions as she drives.
AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Monroe County continues to stay strong and re-invent the availability of programs to serve the area with new activities as we forage through the isolation and safety barriers that have been presented in this COVID era.
The newest program that RSVP is offering is called Loom Knit Hats for the Homeless.”
Loom knitting is a very simple activity that even children can do. You do not have to know how to knit to create items like hats, socks, shawls and more.
“Looming” can be done anywhere or anytime. You may even remember looming when you were a youngster. Years ago, kids would “spool knit.