Retired Seniors Volunteer Program Volunteers Honored

By Nancy K. Crevier

Of the 72,000 volunteer hours donated by members of the Northern Fairfield County Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP) in 2007, 50 RSVP Newtown volunteers can be proud to say that 12,000 of those hours belong to them.

The 72,000 hours donated this past year in services and making of handmade items represent a ten percent increase in hours over the past year. “It is a significant number of hours,” said Maureen Farrell, director of Northern Fairfield County RSVP. Ms Farrell and her assistant, Debra Mikelui, were at the Newtown Senior Center on Riverside Road Wednesday afternoon, April 9, to congratulate Newtown’s senior volunteers at a special recognition tea held in their honor. Newtown’s volunteers have donated the equivalent of $22,512 worth of community service, based on a pay scale of $18.76 an hour, said Ms Farrell, and should be very proud.

“I’m here to thank you today,” said Ms Farrell. “I’m so happy we can present these awards and recognize the volunteers.”

Newtown seniors have volunteered across a broad spectrum, said director of the Senior Center Marilyn Place. “They have been mentoring in the schools, volunteering at the Danbury Railroad Museum, in hospitals, at Ashlar, at blood drives, and wrapping books during the Christmas season at Barnes & Noble,” she said. Newtown RSVP volunteers also spend a great deal of time knitting lap rugs, blankets, baby caps, hats, and mittens that are distributed to various local social service agencies and veterans’ hospitals, she added.

Gold Presidential Service Awards and certificates, representing 400-plus volunteer hours a year, were presented to Theresa B. Curry, Dorothy Bartlett, Frances Van Want and her daughter, Barbara Wallenta, Jean Reilly, and Mary Maye. Recipients of the Silver Award for 250 to 399 volunteer hours a year were Florence DePalma, David W. Lowry, Lois M. Pratt, Irene Radun, Doris Travis, Elizabeth Waite, Aida Reiske, Michael Asselta, Phyllis Fives, and Winifred Harrington. The Bronze Award, for 100 to 249 volunteer hours a year, went to RSVP volunteers Rose P. Lindmark, Carmella Maturi, Leonore Niedzielski, Mary Obre, Beatrice Piskura, Robert Sharpe, Margaret Skillings, Fred Stakel, Laura Hewitt, Beatrice Castellan, and Maria Carrino.

“Our volunteers are out there and their dedication to the community is being noticed,” said Ms Farrell.