LMGW Staff Supports our Local Community with 2nd Annual Community Service Day
November 20th, 2014 dawned rainy and cold but that didn’t stop LMGW staff from their commitment to serving those in need in our community. For our second annual LMGW Community Volunteer Day, we chose a local nonprofit organization, The Saratoga Area Senior Coordinating Council (SASCC). (www.sascc.org)
Once again, our dedicated Senior Accountant Katie Vachon acted as coordinator, working with Partner Michael Bryant and SASCC staff to identify areas of need. Katie rallied LMGW troops into work groups prepared to provide the center and its members with some much needed attention.
The day before, several staff had donated their time to purchase plants and landscaping materials to spruce up the neglected front courtyard of the center and shop for groceries to prepare a nutritious home-cooked meal for the elderly attendees that spend their day at the center.
After meeting the morning of our workday at SASCC, LMGW volunteers quickly got to work uprooting dead plants, weeding walkways, and filling planter boxes with garden soil. With Katie’s guidance and some muscle from the LMGW crew, it didn’t take long for our dedicated and hardworking staff to create a beautiful and welcoming entry way to the center for the seniors to enjoy.
While the crew outside was hard at work beautifying the center, another group tasked with preparing the meal for the day got busy in the kitchen. Providing an enjoyable and satisfying meal to a group with many dietary restrictions was our goal, which we proudly met. Partner Matt Wheeler joined in to provide a gourmet touch, while the rest of the kitchen crew exercised their organizational skills and efficiently chopped, whisked, broiled and baked a restaurant worthy luncheon delivered right on schedule. There was even enough for our volunteer group to enjoy, too!
Not to be overlooked was our inside crew assigned to cleaning the storage areas. Years of arts supplies, records, games and decorations were stored with never enough time to keep them organized. Working as a team, LMGW staff systematically emptied, sorted and tossed then created an organized, accessible and clearly labeled storage area, allowing SASCC staff to focus on providing activities and recognizing special events.
The Adult Care Center’s mission is to help seniors remain physically and mentally active while offering opportunities for socialization and personal growth. They recognize the difficult challenges that caregivers face and the needs of less independent seniors who are not able to participate in existing senior programs. When we first spoke with SASCC directors and asked what we could do to help, they responded with “they need attention.” This was a different request than we normally address, especially for a group of task and detail oriented individuals who are regularly focused on numbers, finances, and deadlines. This request provided a much needed personal outlet for LMGW staff as the remainder of our day was spent visiting with this fragile group, talking, playing bingo, listening to music and adding some variety to the warm and encouraging environment the center works so hard to provide.We left it in a lot better shape for SASCC Staff and Members to enjoy.
The afternoon spent visiting with the seniors and hearing their life experiences was the highlight of our day.
The Second Annual LMGW Community Volunteer Day was enjoyed and appreciated by all who participated. We are already looking forward to our next Annual Community Volunteer Day and are committed to this regular event that benefits the community and LMGW staff.
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