Friday, July 31, 2015

Client Profile: Fern Malavaceo

Volunteer driver, Reta Beals, escorts Fern to an appointment.
71-year-old Fern Malavaceo does not know what she’d do without Volunteer Transportation.  Forty years ago, she decided that driving was not for her.  It caused her great anxiety, especially after she’d had multiple harrowing experiences behind the wheel on freeways in the rain.  She relied on her kids to take her to appointments when they could, but she often felt stuck when they were unavailable.  She registered for Volunteer Transportation three years ago and says, “The program is such a blessing!”

For Fern, Volunteer Transportation is about comfort and familiarity.  She explains, “The drivers are awesome!  They are so considerate.  They’re like family members to me.”  She loves how volunteers typically wait for her as she’s in an appointment and reports that she always feels supported throughout the whole process.

Fern (and others like her) make it clear that volunteer drivers have an amazing ability to ease stress and calm nerves.  They bring Zen to the art of giving rides.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Welcome, Kaitlin

The Volunteer Transportation program is incredibly pleased to welcome Kaitlin Sovich as its new Eastside/West Seattle Coordinator.  She is the perfect fit for this rewarding/challenging role!

Kaitlin, a native Floridian, grew up in Southwest Florida on the Gulf Coast. While in high school, her first job as a dining services and events associate at an assisted living community taught her that she wants to spend her career making the lives of seniors the best that they can be. She has looked forward to working with seniors again ever since leaving that job to attend the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL in 2009. While at UF, she sought out work in a research lab focusing on memory and aging, and upon graduating with her B.A. in anthropology and sociology in May 2013, she went to work for the UF College of Medicine as a Research Coordinator in the Department of Health Outcomes and Policy.  After six happy years in Gainesville, in July 2015, Kaitlin and her partner moved to Seattle for new opportunities in life and work. Kaitlin is very excited to have joined the Volunteer Transportation team at Senior Services and finds working with seniors in this capacity to be dynamic and fulfilling.

In her spare time, Kaitlin enjoys cooking, reading, playing with her cat, exploring her neighborhood, and spending time with her partner and friends in this incredible city.

We know that all Volunteer Transportation clients and staff will love working with Kaitlin as she uses her skills and talents to breathe life into the program!  Feel free to drop her a line at kaitlins@seniorservices.org.

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Helpfulness: A Word Reflection

Helpful is a word we hear over and over again in our office.  Seniors often call in and say, “My volunteer driver yesterday was so helpful.”  Our volunteers tell us that they find meaning and purpose in being helpful to seniors in need of assistance; “I like to be helpful,” they say.  It’s a word used so frequently that it has almost become ubiquitous. 

A quick Google search of the term produces the following:

help·ful
ˈhelpfəl/
adjective
1.      giving or ready to give help."people are friendly and helpful"
synonyms:
obliging, eager to please, kind, accommodating, supportive, cooperative; sympathetic, boosterish, neighborly, charitable

This Google definition provides us with other terms to describe our “helpful” volunteers: obliging, eager to please, kindaccommodatingsupportivecooperativesympatheticboosterishneighborly, and charitable.  All have slightly different connotations, yet they all are fitting descriptions of our volunteers.

No matter which adjective we use (no thesaurus necessary), it’s clear is that our volunteer drivers are amazing and much-appreciated!

About Me

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“Behind the Wheel” offers stories, reflections, news and updates about Sound Generations’ (formerly Senior Services') Transportation Program. Throughout King County, our inspiring volunteers provide needed mobility to local seniors, supporting them in their efforts to remain independent, healthy, and happy. Please drop by to read more about the unique experiences of our volunteers, clients and staff!
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