Retired & Senior Volunteer Program • 48 Main Street, Champaign, IL 61820 • Phone: 217/359-6500 • Fax: 217/359-6550

May-June 2015TheVolunteer Connection

RSVP of Champaign, Douglas & Piatt Counties

AARP Tax-Aide volunteers gave over3,000 hours from February to April

assisting a record-breaking number of clientswho requested help with tax preparation!

RSVP salutes them for their tireless service!

Joe Casserly (left) and David Biddle (right) were just two of the numerous volunteers who prepared taxes at Stevick Senior Center.

(Left photo) Chris Elliott (left) enjoys a well-deserved break at the recent ice cream social. Chris served as Tax-Aide site organizer at the senior center as well as tax preparer. She is shown with Darlene Mullvain, who delivers groceries with the Food for Seniors program. Darlene also gives time as a bulk mailing assistant with various organizations. (Right photo) Kishor Joshi and Carol McWilliam take a break at the recent volunteer appreciation breakfast. Kishor volunteered as a Tax-Aide facilitator and also serves with Family Service Meals on Wheels, Daily Bread and Food for Seniors. Carol fielded many calls for Tax-Aide as a Stevick Senior Center receptionist, and also gives her time to Food for Seniors and Carle Auxiliary Resale Boutique.

From the Director’s Desk

Dear Friends, Finally the snow is gone and the temperatures are rising. Now is the time to get out and volunteer. Our RSVP members bring so much good to our community. We ap-preciate all you have done and will do in the future. We still have lots of opportunities for our seniors to use their skills and experiences to help those who need a little assistance in our community. Give Jennifer a call to see what is on our volunteer “needs” list. Encourage a friend to volunteer with you. The more the merrier. AARP Tax Aide volunteers worked many hours the past few months to provide our seniors and low-income families help to file their income taxes. Stevick Senior Center has been buzzing every day with so many people in our community seeking the help of our RSVP volun-teers. We filed near 1500 tax returns! What a benefit to our community and all done by volunteers! The little appreciation events we had through Volunteer Appreciation Week provided great opportunities for RSVP members to connect. Joining in our Potluck lunch, we saw several new faces. The breakfast, bingo and ice cream social also provided our RSVP volunteers a time to join one another with fun activities for all. May and June will surely be a busy time with a great need for volunteers. Let’s get out and enjoy the sunshine. RSVP can always use more seniors wanting to share their wealth of knowledge to benefit our community.

Welcome Spring!

Karen Graves

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Items of Interest

Volunteer Corner!!!Enriching lives across the generations

RSVP volunteers are part of the Family Service teamand together we make our communities better.

Family Service, RSVP, & Me

Celebrating VolunteerAppreciation Week

Family Service staff hosted a Volunteer Appreciation Tea on April 15 to honor its 400+ volunteers. We also celebrated the 50th Anniversary of Meals on Wheels and the impact that volunteers have made in helping to deliver more than a million meals! Linen cloths, fresh flowers, silver tea service, and home baked delicacies delighted all the volunteers. Twenty-nine volunteers received Presidential Volunteer Service Awards; twenty-five bronze, three silver, and one gold award winners. Tom Austin, a Senior Transportation volun-teer, drove seniors to the doctor or store a total of 1,000 hours last year! Ten volunteers were distinguished in an honorary Meals on Wheels route naming ceremony. They received a six-pack sized cooler in the color of their route and embroidered with Meals on Wheels. It represents the coolers they use to deliver meals. Finally, Elizabeth Easley, who has been a loyal weekly office volunteer with Family Service for many years, was honored with our Exceptional Volunteerism award. Two former staff, Sharon Monday and Deb Brooks, joined current staff member Mary Fileccia in making tributes to Elizabeth’s generous, kind, and faithful service. Thank you to all our RSVP volunteers—you are amazing and appreciated! If you would like to volunteer with Senior Transportation or Meals on Wheels, call Terry Goode at 217-352-0099.

RSVP Volunteer Elizabeth Easley, center, earns Jane E. & Dickens M. Green Award for Exceptional Volunteerism at Family Service event.

summer Is upon us . . . tIme forpotluCks & potluCk reCIpes

Sweet Tooth Recipeof Choice!

In the last edition of the Volunteer Connection we asked for “Sweet Tooth” recipes. We received this one which we are sure you will enjoy to make and to eat!

Oatmeal Bars

With family reunion and picnic season upon us, send us your favorite recipe to take to a potluck dinner. If chosen, the recipe will be included in the July/August newsletter. Submit it to Robbie at rsvpcomp@gmail.com or mail a copy to her attention to RSVP, 48 E. Main Street, Champaign, IL 61820. Please include your name with the recipe.

You are invited to our Potluck at Helen Stevick! We’d love for you to join us for the May and June potluck luncheons at the Stevick Senior Center! We provide the meat, condiments, tableware and drinks. Attendees bring a side dish to share. Great food and good company always makes for a wonderful day. On Friday, May 8, there will be a special emphasis on Mother’s Day; on Friday, June 12, we will be celebrating Father’s Day. On both dates, festivities start at noon. No need to make reservations–we hope to see you here at the senior center!

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed1 cup granulated sugar1 cup oats1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup butter or margarine2 eggs1 teaspoon baking powder1 teaspoon baking soda2 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream butter with sugars, then add rest of ingredients. Mix well. Spread on ungreased 15”x10”x1” cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Dough will still be a bit sticky inside. Let cool, then cut to desired size.

*** If desired, add 2 cups of any of the following: raisins, cranberries, flavored baking chips (chocolate, butterscotch, peanut butter, etc), coconut, blueberries or M&Ms.

CommunIty InVolVement opportunItIesPlease contact RSVP at 217/359-6500 or site.rsvp@gmail.com for information

about these volunteer opportunities

WelCome neW Volunteers

Let the Music PlayChampaign County NursingHome’s Auxiliary team is indire need of a PIANISTthat could accompany them every Thursday at 10:00a.m. Most of the music is from the 30’s and 40’s and is a hugely popular event that the residents love. If you enjoy making people smile and tap their toes, please contact Jennifer immediately at 359-6500 for more information.

Share theJoy of Learning

Project READ is in need of volunteers as LITERACY TU-TORS for adult learners that are seeking to improve their reading, writing, and/or English as a Second Language skills. Volunteers attend 12 hours of formal training to earn certifica-tion in tutoring adults. Tutor Certification Training is offered on a monthly basis at various locations. If you are interested helping adult students excel and succeed, and would like more information about becoming a Project READ tutor, please contact Jennifer at 359-6500.

The Reading Group is a not-for-profit learning center located in Champaign that offers one-on-one instruction for students of all ages. A

Have you moved .?Changed your phone number (?

No longer volunteering? Please let us know so we can update our records!( 217/359-6500 or

: rsvpchampaign@gmail.com orrsvpcomp@gmail.com

Sing-A-Long ......

LIBRARY ASSISTANT is needed immediately to organize and keep the reading resources in order. Experience with determining reading levels and age appropriateness of books is required. Must be able to work independently and able to safely stand on stepstool to reach high shelves. Time com-mitment is 2-3 hours per week, depending on project. Please contact Jennifer at 359-6500 if you are interested.

Helen StevickSenior Center

Stevick Center Receptionist -WE NEED YOU!!

There is an immediate need for a RECEP-TIONIST at Stevick Senior Center/RSVP offices! Debbie needs at least two volunteers to fill open shifts on Wednesday and Thurs-days afternoon (noon-4pm). This can be a weekly (preferred) or bi-monthly commitment. Substitute receptionists are also needed. Tasks include greeting visitors, answering phones and helping with special events at the Stevick Senior Center. Permit provided for free parking during shift. Contact Debbie at 359-6500 for more information.

Lend a Hand –Lift a Bag!Help deliver bags of groceries to low-income seniors in Cham-paign and Urbana on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday morning each month. Food for Seniors is looking for Permanent/Substitute and Driver Assistants. We are also in need of Sackers and Box Handlers. If requested, mileage reimbursement is available. Call Robbie at 359-6500.

Reduce, Reuse,Recyle & ReStoreHabitat for Humanity’s Top Drawer ReStore, located at 2nd Street and University Avenue in Champaign, features small items such as pottery, dishes, collectibles, books, jewelry, etc. Amy is seeking friendly and positive volunteers to serve as SHOP ASSISTANTS. Duties include stocking inventory, sorting and tagging merchandise and assisting customers as needed. No heavy lifting involved. Shifts available Tuesday thru Saturday 11am–3pm. Let Jennifer know you are inter-ested by calling 359-6500.

Many Other Opportunities Stop by the Stevick Senior Center or give us a call if you would like to volunteer to help others while making our community stronger. We have lots of opportunities. See if your passion might fit into one of our volunteer stations. Call or stop in today!

Bari Arnote • Harry Bremer • Rodney Clark Richard Horn • Myung S. Lee • Diane Lynn

Ralph Monical • Dale E. Myers • Dave StanglDeloras Townsend • Marjorie Whitfield

Richard E. ZieglerThe VC Newsletter is prepared for mailing by

Members of the RSVP General Assembly Team.

Printing of this newsletter is made possible by a generous donation from Carle

Family ServiceRetired and Senior Volunteer Program48 Main StreetChampaign, IL 61820Phone: (217) 359-6500

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RSVP–Retired & Senior Volunteer ProgramThis program is funded in part by United Way of Champaign County

Carle Physician Group

Mailing of this newsletter is made possible by a generous donation from Adams Memorials