By Ruth Saint Amand
Senior Corps Week, July 13th through July 19th, has come to an end! With a flurry of activity, from the signing of the Proclamation by Governor Baldacci on Monday the 13th, to news releases and events from Aroostook County to York County, eight Senior Corps Programs took the opportunity to highlight the impact of Senior Corps volunteers in Maine and to celebrate their service. A few of the highlights from that week include:
• In Aroostook County, a local 30-second PSA ran on WAGM-TV and Volunteer Maine. News releases ran in four local newspapers.
• The Senior Corps programs in the Bangor area set up an informational booth at an early-evening Outdoor Market and Concert.
• In Rockland, a Match Maker open house was held and four volunteers were signed up!
• In Southern Maine a Senior Volunteer Fair was held in Scarborough with refreshments, entertainment; and an opportunity for people to visit with about a dozen exhibitors who provide services for seniors in that area.
• In Central Maine, a two-day Health Fair was held at Spectrum Generations’ Muskie Center with exhibitors who shared information on everything from games to keep the mind active to nutrition and put on demonstrations on Tai Chi, Yoga and much more!
In my opinion, recruitment is the toughest of the three R’s – Recruitment, Retention, and Recognition. It’s difficult at best to get the word out and often feels like we’re the best kept secret in the volunteer world! This week was a great opportunity for all Senior Corps programs – RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program); SCP (Senior Companion Program), and FGP (Foster Grandparent Program) to get the word out about the wonderful and unique opportunities we have for people 55 and older to share their experience and knowledge with their communities.
A heartfelt THANK YOU goes to Rochelle Runge, Public Relations Representative for the Maine Commission for Community Service, for her hard work to make Senior Corps Week a success. We look forward to reaping the benefits this week has afforded our programs, and planning ahead for our next event!
Ruth Saint Amand is the Director of HealthReach RSVP and a guest blogger.
