Want To Help? Volunteer

This week has been set aside as National Volunteer Week in appreciation of the amount of time volunteers donate to their communities.

Winslow has an enthusiastic population of volunteers helping a multitude of worthy projects and organizations.

One such volunteer is Judy Douglas, who donates around seven hours each week to the Roxanne Memorial Library. While volunteering her time, Douglas keeps the Friends of the Library Corner at the library in order. She also helps the inter-library loan program and works to process out old materials.

“I couldn’t ask for a more faithful volunteer,” Docia Blalock, Librarian, said.

Since July 2001, the library has logged over 560 volunteer hours from Douglas and others.

Another place volunteers are essential is the Winslow Senior Center. The center has many different ways people can volunteer.

Some retired seniors volunteer through the Senior Companions program. The program matches a younger retired volunteer with an elder retiree. The volunteer visits the elder retiree and helps with tasks around the house, like light cleaning and cooking, and trips to the grocery store.

Volunteers from the center also deliver meals around town through the Meals on Wheels program. They also help run Bingo games at the center, which are held twice a week.

It was estimated by Pat Raygor, secretary for the Winslow Council on Aging (who also volunteers her time at the center), that about 12 volunteers come to the center and help out on various projects and tasks.

Winslow Memorial Hospital relies on its volunteers. WMH has a volunteer program, like hospitals across the country, where people can come and donate their time. Candy Strippers have the tasks of passing out food trays, making beds, and helping in any department that needs assistance. Winslow’s program has about eight participants during the summer, but while school is in session the number drops to around five. The volunteers still wear the stripped aprons as they did in the past.

Volunteering is also promoted within the student body at Winslow High School. The S-Club is an organization made up of around 50 female students who give their time throughout the school year. The group is affiliated with the Soroptimist organization.

It is required that each girl does three projects every semester to remain in the group. Karen Harrison, one of the group’s sponsors, said most of the girls do more than their required activities.

In the last year, the club has participated in over 20 activities, ranging from a Halloween carnival to donating money to families and organizations to cleaning up areas around Winslow.

The Winslow Woman’s Club is a way women in Winslow can volunteer their time. Members of the club perform community service and do several projects around Winslow each year.

This is just a few of the ways volunteers lend a helping hand in Winslow.

The Winslow Mail wishes to salute all volunteers who give their time and energy to improve the lives of Winslow citizens.

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