Saluting Berks Encore’s Heroes by Melissah Jablonski

Saluting Our Heroes

A hero is a person admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities. I’d like to add that Berks Encore’s heroes – all 1,500 of them – are also compassionate, caring and selfless. Tonight, Berks Encore salutes our unsung heroes during our annual Volunteer Recognition event. Our board members and staff will spend the evening serving appetizers and drinks to our volunteers and perhaps even joining them on the dance floor. This gesture, while extremely heartfelt, can never truly act as a means of thanking those who help us better the lives of Berks County’s aging population.

After all, how can you truly thank the volunteer who went to deliver a meal and ended up saving a life? How can you properly thank the volunteer who spends his own retirement preparing taxes for the county’s low- to middle-class? How can you thank the volunteer who after working a full-day spends the next hour grocery shopping for a homebound senior?

 

The bottom line is, you can’t. The best we can do is to show our appreciation by inviting them to join us for a fun-filled evening where they all feel special. We know our volunteers appreciate this gesture and I wish we could do even more for them. Yet, as much as I feel as though we should do more, I’m certain most volunteers wouldn’t want anything grand or expensive.

So, on behalf of Berks Encore’s board and staff, I would like to say a simple thank you to every volunteer who has positively impacted the life of a Berks County senior citizen by volunteering as a Meals on Wheels driver, a friendly visitor, a Medicare counselor, a orchestra or chorus member, a tax preparer, or in any other fashion. We couldn’t provide the breadth of services that we do without you.

How to Volunteer

If you would like to join this army of heroes, please check our web site at http://berksencore.org/get-involved/volunteer-opportunities/ or by calling your local center or our main office at (610) 374-3195. Thank you!

Through the Eyes of a Berks Encore Intern by Katie Correll, marketing intern

Through the Eyes of a Berks Encore Intern

During my time spend as an intern for Berks Encore, I have witnessed true care and love that the staff and volunteers hold for the organization. I spent a mix of days both in the office and at the centers, where I found numerous examples of how such compassion can have an incredible and positive impact on an elder’s life.

For the past two months, I have been surrounded by people who understand what a precious thing life is. The staff and volunteers of Berks Encore all appreciate those who they serve and not only enjoy their job, but also strive to hold a positive impact on the lives of the elder community. They work tirelessly to ensure that Berks County’s seniors enjoy their golden years as best as possible.

Before beginning my internship, I never realized how many services Berks Encore offered – many for no cost. After talking to many seniors who attend the multiple centers, I would highly encourage seniors to venture out and visit a center. Personally, I have had an emotional summer and, although I am much younger than those at the centers, they have all helped me through my own emotions with love and care. That is why I would also encourage the younger community to volunteer at a center; not only will you brighten their day, but they also will help you in your own way.

The individuals who volunteer for this organization have some of the largest hearts I have ever come to know. I spent one afternoon delivering Meals on Wheels for the first time with a woman who has been delivering for many years. The second house we came to had no answer or sign of movement. Instead of just assuming the owner was away, this volunteer called multiple people in hopes of finding where the homeowner had been and if he was okay. This volunteer was genuinely concerned, as if the man who was not answering was her own family member. This is just one example; there are many other volunteers within the organization that act just like this and hold an incredible impact on the lives of the Berks Encore seniors.

As for the staff who work tirelessly to make the running of Berks Encore possible, they are simply amazing. They are all not only experts at their jobs, but they also show compassion every step of the way and understand the importance of what they are doing. During my days in the office, many seniors would often come up to visit and say hello. The staff knew the names of each senior that visited and always took time out of their hectic days to hold a conversation with the seniors to make them feel welcomed.

The center managers have all worked to create positive, caring and supportive environments for their seniors. During my time with Berks Encore, I visited the centers many times to record the memories of many seniors. Most of the time these stories sadly began with the loss of a husband, wife, or child, and that became the reason for coming to the center. The managers have all successfully created a place for healing, a place where someone can go just for support, love and of course some bingo.

At the end of the day, I am so thankful for this experience. I have gotten to know some amazing people, had the privilege to write their stories and grow as a person. Life is a crazy thing; it will fly by before you know it and soon the young community of which I am a part of will become the older generation in need of the support and benefits Berks Encore provides. This is something I feel the younger community needs to remember while considering volunteering for such an organization.

True Love Through the Halls of Berks Encore

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, how cute would it be to share in the reminiscence of old love stories brought to you by the participants of Berks Encore?  We hope they warm your hearts as much as they do ours!  If you have a love story you would like to share with us, please email mkeller@berksencore.org or mail a letter to Berks Encore, 40 N. 9th Street, Reading, PA 19601.  We look forward to hearing from you!

Of Prom, Matrimony and… Pregnancy?
Carol and Elwood Klinger – April 10, 1965

Elwood & Carol Klinger

Elwood was a high school graduate working in a Wernersville drugstore when he met Carol.  She and her closest girlfriend knew he worked Sunday nights and would use this as a chance to make prank phone calls to him.  Eventually, Carol visited him at the store, but she was never able to accept his offers for a date due to strict parenting.  Senior prom was fast approaching, so Carol used this as an opportunity to take Elwood as her date.  Her mother conceded, and they fell quickly in love.

Carol and Elwood were engaged that Christmas and planned to marry in June of 1965.  However, during the engagement, the two surprised everyone by moving the wedding date up by two months.  The entire family thought for sure Carol was pregnant, going as far as inspecting her belly to see if she was “showing.”  There was no baby.  As it turned out, Elwood received a draft notice for the Navy the day of his brother’s wedding.  After they married, Elwood enlisted in the Navy for four years with Carol at his side.

A Second Chance for Love
Adele Becker and Richard Hoffman – May 2013

Richard Hoffman & Adele Becker

They seemed an unlikely pair at first:  Adele was a 7^th grader when she came to know Lenard, a working high school grad.  She had been in a car accident earlier that week and was having a difficult time moving around on crutches.  Adele says, “He asked me if I wanted a break and to sit on his knee.”  She blushed but agreed to his offer.  It wasn’t until her junior year that Lenard asked her out.  They had 40 years of marriage together with her teaching beauty school and him working at the Parish.  Lenard passed away in January 2002 from pancreatic cancer.

Adele felt a hole inside her heart.  Since her husband’s death, she dated five men and eventually went back to work styling hair for Phoebe Berks.  Still, she felt the need to help others and fill the lonely hours – that’s when she decided to volunteer at Berks Encore-Wernersville. 

Last June, she saw a man carrying bags into the center and asked if he needed help.  The gentleman – Richard Hoffman – said no and went home only to call Rachel, the center manager, later that day to inquire about “the blonde.”  Rachel asked Adele if she could give him her phone number, and she acquiesced.  It wasn’t until a week later that Richard worked up the nerve to ask her out.  They’ve been together for seven months now and find love and comfort in each other’s company.

Skating into Each Other’s Hearts
Eleanor and Norman Rubright – November 12, 1943

Norman and Eleanor met at a roller rink at age 19 and knew right away that they were meant for each other.  They soon married, had three children and have had a good life together in the Hamburg area.  Norman had his own painting and paper-hanging business.   Eleanor says, “We had some problems like everyone else, but we worked them out.”

After their children were grown they did a lot of traveling, including several cruises.  They also went dancing almost every weekend, something they enjoyed until Eleanor suffered a serious accident six years ago.  While she is able to get around much better now, she says she would not be able to live at home without all the help and support Norman gives.  For his part, Norman says, “I couldn’t have found a better woman.”  They celebrated their 70^th wedding anniversary last fall!

A Hamburg Affection
Marilyn Quinter and Bill Boyer – September 2005

Bill Boyer & Marilyn Quinter

Marilyn Quinter and Bill Boyer each had long marriages before losing their spouses.  Then, about eight years ago, Bill stopped by the senior center in Hamburg to help a friend – and he was greeted by a very attractive, smiling woman who told him her name was Marilyn.  Marilyn says she immediately noticed Bill’s “pretty blue eyes” and later passed him a note with her phone number.  Bill really had no plans to call her but later reconsidered – and they’ve been together ever since. 

Marilyn says they are very compatible, that they like the same things and they both enjoy having fun – which includes dressing as Santa and Mrs. Clause for Christmas parties.  Bill says Marilyn is a great cook and housekeeper, and, “there’s not a bad thing I could say about her!”