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Evelyn Wright, winner of 2012 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award.

Senior Corp Week is May 7-11.  Throughout that week, volunteers and organizations will take part in events celebrating the remarkable achievements that older Americans provide through their volunteer work.   Senior Corps programs tap the skills, talents, and experience of more than 12,000 older Washington state residents to meet a wide range of community challenges through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), the Foster Grandparent Program, and the Senior Companion Program.

Senior Companions help more than 1,400 homebound seniors and other adults maintain independence in their own homes.  Sometimes simply going for a walk with someone helps them to lead a better life. Evelyn Wright’s shy smile and modest temperament hide a strong determination and a grueling walking pace.  Wright has served more than 50 clients and approximately 20,000 hours as a Senior Companion since she began in March 2000.  She is the Senior Companion Volunteer award winner for the Governor’s 2012 Out-standing Volunteer Service Award.  For more information or to get involved with Senior Companions, contact Julie Kerrigan at (253) 722-5686 or jkerrigan@lcsnw.org.

Michi Schroeder, RSVP Kitsap volunteer provides services at Harrison Medical Center in Kitsap county.

RSVP volunteers provide services through more than 920 groups across Washington.  RSVP Volunteer Michi Schroeder volunteers at Harrison Medical Center in Kitsap County in the Emergency Department as a greeter and assistant.  To date she has 6,600 volunteer hours with Harrison since October of 2003. The staff says they “couldn’t do their shift without her.”  For more information or to get involved with RSVP of Kitsap County contact Inga Jennings 360-377-5511 or ijennings@lcsnw.org.

RSVP Volunteer Lorraine Robertson is an inspiration to everyone she meets. She has been volunteering with the American Red Cross for over 50 years and with the Washington Wing of the Civil Air Patrol(CAP) for over 35 years. She is committed to serving our military service members at the McChord Medical Clinic, as well as helping young people learn leadership skills through CAP’s youth program. For more information or to get involved with RSVP of Pierce County contact Molly Feider (253) 682-1832 or  mollyf@uwpc.org.

Foster Grandparents serve as mentors, role models and friends to local at-risk youth and children with special needs.  Kyoung Mo Im has been a Foster Grandparent volunteer for an impressive 17 years.  He cares deeply for the children with whom he works and also serves as an interpreter for fellow Korean-speaking volunteers.  He has even been selected to receive a City of Destiny Award this year, in recognition of his hard work and dedication.  For more information or to get involved with the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) of Pierce and Thurston Counties contact Andie Daisley (253) 502–2743 or andied@ccsww.org.

Contributing Author by — April 30, 2012 in Everything Else

This year, National Volunteer Week takes place April 15-21. The theme is “Volunteers – Every One Counts.” The goal is to send a strong message to existing volunteers that they are valued, and to support potential volunteers by reinforcing that every single volunteer makes an important contribution to the broader community.

The Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors (SHIBA) program honors it volunteers.  SHIBA volunteers provide free and unbiased health care access and information resources, as well as information and counseling services for evaluating, planning, and using health insurance and public health programs.

A brief history of SHIBA

  • In operation since 1979
  • Started by a volunteer in Skagit County
  • The first program of its kind in the nation
  • Recognized nationally as a model for health insurance consumer counseling
  • Inspired federal funding to create State Health Insurance Programs (SHIPs) in all states
  • Approximately 400 volunteers statewide
  • Twenty-two local sponsoring agencies representing all 39 Washington counties

SHIBA volunteer contributions in 2010

  • SHIBA volunteers counseled 37,562 clients
  • Served 11,479 folks at enrollment events
  • Provided outreach to more than 71,041 folks by email/fax/postal mail
  • Assisted 58,977 folks at 237 health fairs
  • Counseled 12,064 at 419 public presentations and workshops

In Washington state:

  • 34.4 percent of state residents volunteered – ranking Washington 10th nationwide.
  • Washington has consistently had more volunteers than the national average for the past decade.
  • Volunteers served an average of 39.8 hours per resident – ranking Washington 11th nationwide.
  •  Volunteers in Washingtone have consistently served more hours than in the rest of the country.

SHIBA works because of you.  Many thanks for what you give to your local communities and to SHIBA.   We offer many volunteer opportunities.   If you have any question or would like to become a volunteer, call 1-800-562-6900 or check us out on the web at www.insurance.wa.gov/shiba.

Press Release by — April 11, 2012 in Everything Else

The McChord Retiree Activities Office (RAO), will honor military retirees and active duty military of all branches of the service, and their guests, with a Heritage Dinner on April 28.  This traditional event will be held at the McChord Collocated Club at 6 p.m. for social hour, and 6:30 p.m. for dinner.  This is a wonderful opportunity to greet old friends and make new friends.  Attendees are encouraged to wear their military uniform.  The menu features prime rib or salmon.  In addition to the meal, a special program is planned.For more information on this informal dinner, please call the McChord Retiree Activities Office, 253-982-3214, between 9 a.m. and noon, Monday through Friday.  For reservations, please call or stop by the McChord Collocated Club, 253-982-2795 or 982-5581.

Press Release by — March 21, 2012 in Everything Else

The type of tree planted is important.  In regions such as the Pacific Northwest where the majority of precipitation occurs in winter, evergreen trees play the largest role in interception.  According to Ramie Pierce, Tacoma’s Urban Forester, “Evergreens have more of a stormwater benefit mostly because they retain their leaves all year (it helps too that they are still growing, although slowly) and the leaves intercept and therefore slow down water flow, reducing the flow that reaches our storm system in the beginning parts of storms.”

Pierce isn’t suggesting that evergreens be the only type of trees planted.  One large deciduous tree can reduce stormwater runoff by over 4,000 gallons per year.  The largest benefit occurs if it is in-leaf when precipitation is at its greatest.  It will take a variety of trees to help Tacoma reach its goal of 30 percent coverage and to maximize stormwater retainment.

When determining tree selection, homeowners should consider tree species with large leaf surface area and rough surfaces.  Obviously, the larger the tree, the greater the impact on stormwater runoff.  When large trees are not an option, small groves of trees make a larger impact than single trees. Trees native to this part of Washington, once established require little supplemental irrigation and more readily tolerate this region’s fluctuating precipitation patterns which can leave them in standing water during the winter and high and dry in the summer months.

By planting appropriate trees, improving the maintenance of existing trees and redesigning parkways, boulevards, parking lots, traffic islands, swales, median strips and residential rain gardens to include more trees, homeowners can substantially reduce the amount of runoff during rain events and thereby reduce the impact to downstream lakes and rivers and eventually Puget Sound.

Bonnie Dickson by — March 21, 2012 in Everything Else