RSVP RECEIVES OUTSTANDING SENIOR VOLUNTEER GROUP AWARD

RSVP Volunteers received the Outstanding Established Senior Group Award for their Volunteer service at the Stamford Museum and Nature Center. The awards were presented by the Volunteer Center of Southwestern Fairfield Country at the 14th Annual Stamford Volunteer Day awards held on Friday January 22, 2010 at the Harry Bennett Branch of Ferguson Library in Stamford.

RSVP volunteers Vicki Zlock, Judy Mills and Nancy Pratt , RSVP outreach coordinator attend  Stanford Volunteer Awards Reception

Volunteers Judy Mills and Vick Zlock accepted the award for the RSVP team which has been assisting the Stamford Museum and Nature center with their special events . These intergenerational educational community wide events range from “Spring on the Farm” to “Native American Art festivals”. The team also included Betty Vincelette . Competitive selection for the The Stamford Volunteer Day Awards are based on the following criteria, Achievement, Action, Caring, Commitment, Impact, Initiative, Leadership, Joy, Need and Time consistently contributed.

Congratulations RSVP volunteers!

TIS THE SEASON TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
December 28, 2009   
Norwalk Citizen News

Made from the heart   
Click on any image to see an enlargement!
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers have been knitting all year to provide hats, mittens and scarves for the children at the Norwalk Economic Opportunity Now Child Development Program.

Last week program director Teri Klein delivered the items to 183 preschoolers at the Ben Franklin site and 328 pre-schoolers at the Nathaniel Ely site. In addition handcrafted quilts were delivered to some 15 other local agencies including Mid-Fairfield Hospice, Family and Children's Agency and the Domestic Violence Crisis Center.

Zyare Bradley, Marcos Chacon, Uriel Navarro		Eric Vazquez		Miriam Vazque, Dajia Williams

"About 50 volunteers knit for us year round. There is a group at Kingsway in Norwalk, the Norwalk senior Center, and Westport Women's Club, among others," explained Klein. "At the holidays, we give the things they knitted to the children.

"The children really look forward to these hats, mittens and scarves because the volunteers handmade them especially for these children. The kids get a lot of things donated to them over the holidays, but the fact that these are created by somebody for them is really special."
And the volunteers get something out of knitting too.

Nyjier Covington		Raquel Funes, Mark Moono

"They love it. It's a good social event for them. And it's good for them physically and mentally," Klein said. "They feel really good about giving the things to the kids. When they see the photos of the kids getting their things, to actually see the product of all your hard work actually being used in the community, it makes it really meaningful to them."

Some of the wool is donated by NEON Child Development program, people in the community and a grant through the Wal-Mart foundation. Klein said the RSVP volunteers are always looking for donations. And more volunteers are always welcome as well.

She also said next year RSVP is expanding the program and volunteers will teach knitting to the older children in NEON's after school program.  To find out information, call Teri Klein at (203) 663-7331.
 

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