(Editor’s Note: The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is a referral service designed to place volunteers in non-profit organizations where their knowledge and skills positively impact the community and individuals served. The following article is part of a monthly series by RSVP highlighting the community based involvement and service of RSVP volunteers.)
The main focus of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Clearfield County is to address the desire of older volunteers to remain active and to meet the basic human needs of the community. RSVP volunteers donate their time to more than 70 stations throughout Clearfield County.
Life Line is a pro-life, non-political branch ministry of Young People Who Care Inc., a non-profit Christian organization, which is a volunteer station for RSVP. Founded in 1986, Life Line has been offering assistance to pregnant women, parents and infants in Clearfield County. Life Line has offices at two locations in Clearfield County. The phone numbers for these locations are Clearfield (814-765-3225) and Philipsburg (814-343-4761).
Some of the services that Life Line offers to the public include pregnancy testing, supportive counseling and providing educational materials, maternity clothes, baby clothing and baby furniture. Life Line also provides emergency baby supplies in the form of formula and diapers to parents who need help. Life Line does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, income or residential status. All are welcome.
Most of the clothing and supplies at Life Line are donations from individuals, organizations, churches and businesses in Clearfield County. Several area churches have held baby showers and donated the gifts brought to the shower to Life Line.
RSVP volunteers provide assistance that enables organizations like Life Line to remain active and open. RSVP volunteers assist with sorting and separating clothing according to size and gender. They also take donated clothing home to wash or mend so all clothing given out is in very good condition. RSVP volunteers have spent time making beautiful baby quilts to donate to Life Line. Each new baby who benefits from Life Line’s services receives a brand new baby quilt.
Toni Kovach is the site director of both the Clearfield and Philipsburg Life Line sites. She is very complimentary about the volunteers who donate their time and talents to Life Line. When asked about the volunteers, she said, “Marabel Mucci and Joanne Fitzmaurice have been regular volunteers long before I was part of the Young People Who Care. On Most Tuesday mornings throughout the year, you can find them diligently sorting through the sometimes massive amounts of clothing donations we receive at Life Line. They know how to determine what items to keep and what we must pass on to other organizations and charities. They, along with our other sorters/volunteers, Deborah Belinda, Connie Pellerite and Fran Marano, help sort, organize and clean donations that we can offer to our clients. I don’t know what I would do without them.”
Life Line is always in need of volunteers to assist young mothers. If you are interested in becoming an RSVP volunteer and helping to make an impact on your community by volunteering at Life Line or if you have a special talent or skill you would like to share, please contact the RSVP office at 814-765-2226 or 1-800-225-8571.
JANUARY VOLUNTEER CORNER:
SPECIAL PROJECTS: Do you want to volunteer, but not be committed to a long-term assignment? RSVP has special projects that are seasonal but still have a great impact on the community. Some examples are sewing quilts for children who are in traumatic situations, preparing special mailings for organizations, ringing the bell for the Salvation
Army, or singing and visiting in a local nursing home or personal care home. Your favorite organization or nursing/personal care home always can use some help with special projects.
TAX-AIDE VOLUNTEERS: It’s that time of the year – time to prepare for filing income tax returns. The Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging Inc., in partnership with AARP and the IRS, sponsors the Tax-aide program. This program offers free income tax preparation for older adults. Volunteers are needed in all areas of the county. All training is provided by the IRS, AARP and the CCAAA. Scheduling is flexible so why not consider becoming a Tax-aide volunteer.
RED CROSS VOLUNTEERS: The American Red Cross is looking for volunteers. If you would like to help the community, why not consider becoming a First Aid or CPR Instructor? Maybe you would like to volunteer once in a while to assist in a bloodmobile. All training is provided and you would be helping our community tremendously.
CEN-CLEAR/HEAD START: This program has many volunteer opportunities for someone who would like to help influence a child’s life. You could become a classroom helper, which would include reading and playing with children. Volunteers assist with bus runs. This would entail assuring that the children are properly buckled in, helping to manage behavior and assisting the driver in the event of an emergency. Maybe you would like to become a snack/lunch helper. In this position, you would encourage the children to use self-help skills, like setting the table, cleanup, etc. Working with children is fun and you can use your knowledge and skills to help shape their future.
If you are interested in any of the above volunteer opportunities or would like to learn more about RSVP, please call the RSVP office at 814-765-2226 or 1-800-225-8571.
RSVP is sponsored and partially funded by the Clearfield County Area Agency on Aging Inc. Additional funding is provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Clearfield and DuBois United Way agencies, memorials and contributions.