Volunteers Sought For Independent Living Day

By Tanjua Damon

Newtown Youth Services will conduct another Independent Living Day on May 5. Volunteers will spend the day, from 9 am to 3 pm, assisting local senior citizens with chores and odd jobs that need to be done around their homes.

Last year volunteers cleaned windows, washed curtains, put screens in, planted flowers, and mowed lawns for senior citizens throughout Newtown.

Newtown Youth Services is looking for seniors who need work done and volunteers who are willing to work on May 5.

“The mission is to help senior citizens live independently as long as they wish,” Debbie Richardson, director of Newtown Youth Services, said.

Last year there was a great turnout. “We weren’t sure who was having more fun, the people doing the work or the people watching,” said Roseanne Loring of Youth Services. “They were all smiling. They [senior citizens] are very humble about asking for our help. They don’t understand why we’re doing it.”

Carol Smiley, chairman of Independent Living Day, encourages people to come out and help other people who may not have family members in the community.

“Their kids may have moved away so they have no family,” she said. “I think it’s an obligation.”

“It’s up to all of us,” Mrs Richardson said. “We have to look next door and say ‘I’ll help this person.’”

Adult/student teams will go out and help senior citizens who have asked for work to be done. Chores can range from planting flowers and organizing closets to washing windows, performing safety checks, painting, or cleaning the refrigerator. Volunteers may be asked to run errands or walk the dog.

“It’s just a wonderful way to help someone who lives in your community,” Mrs Richardson said. “It’s a great way to meet people.”