RSVP - News from 2010        home page

December 24, 2010
Norwalk Citizen News
Women's Club group dedicates thousands of hours to charitable knitting

Nancy Pratt, Outreach Coordinator for RSVP, Jackie Martinez (Ben Franklin's Pre-School Teacher), Christine Burke, RSVP Volunteer, and Diane Haygood (Ben Franklin's Pre-School Teacher) along with the NEON pre-schoolers show hand knitted items beautifully crafted by RSVP Volunteers at the Ben Franklin School in Norwalk, CT on Thursday December 16, 2010.
Photo: Francesca Andre / Connecticut Post

   
Jackie Martinez, pre-school teacher at the Ben Franklin School in Norwalk, CT helps her student, Alondra Rosario, with hand knitted items crafted by RSVP volunteers  

RSVP volunteer from the Neon Child Development Program, Christine Burke, gives hand knitted scarves, hats and gloves to pre-schoolers Jake Tejada and Sebastian Maldonado at the Ben Franklin School

See more photos/news on the Norwalk Citizen News website.   

December 2, 1010
Handmade Gifts Knit Community Together
 Nancy Pratt knows how to spin a good yarn. She tells the tale of a complaint about knitting from her husband's friend. Pratt stepped in and was sympathetic – and helpful.

Pratt says, "He said, 'My mother gets up in the middle of the night and all she does is knit. She's got scarves and scarves and I don't know what to do with them.' I'm like, 'I do.' I signed her up as a volunteer."
    ....read more

November 2, 2010
Book Distribution Norwalk Reads
Norwalk Reads’ city-wide distribution of free books for Norwalk children was well attended by over 600 children and their parents on October 30. Volunteers from RSVP (The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program), Kiwanis Club, Build On, Norwalk Community College and the Norwalk Housing Authority helped each child choose four age-appropriate books. Materials on Fire Safety were provided by the Norwalk Office of Emergency Management.

RSVP Volunteer Christine Burke assists Gabriella and her father Jeff Coffin at the Norwalk Public Library, “Norwalk Reads” free book distribution supporting literacy for all of Norwalk’s children.

Many children came dressed in costume to the distribution sites which included the East Norwalk Library, Norwalk Public Library, South Norwalk Library, Rowayton Library, Colonial Village Learning Center and the Washington Village Learning Center. Thousands of new and used books were donated by area community organizations, businesses and individuals. For more information, go to www.norwalkreads.org.

August 18, 2010
RSVP FEATURED ON WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
ABC World News Tonight featured our D2R2 (Dogs to Read to ) Program at the East Norwalk Library led by RSVP volunteer Don Smith and his trained therapy dog Brasil.

Each Saturday morning at the library children are given the opportunity to improve their reading skills by reading to specially trained dogs who listen non judgmentally . . As a testimony to the programs success, an 8 year old participant , Kevontae Hay was interviewed and several sessions tapped over a period of weeks. Initially Keveontae was reading below grade level, but according to ABC news who visited again six weeks later, “the improvement was remarkable.” The show aired on August.18 To date several hundred children have participated in the program which has been expanded to four other libraries in the area. The full ABC News story can be read online at: http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=11428770

May 20, 2010
RSVP CELEBRATES ITS VOLUNTEERS
 The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Southwestern Connecticut held its 36th Volunteer Recognition Celebration (May 20) at Continental Manor in Norwalk. More than 350 volunteers were honored for donating their time to over 50 local non-profit agencies during this past year. RSVP serves the communities of Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Weston, Westport and Wilton.

Recipients of the 2010 President’s Call to Service Award:
(l-r) Carol Goetz, Molly Small, Pei Yan Tan, Doris Allegrini, Susan Mahar, Betty Johnson, Dell Petrone, Mayor Moccia,
Anna Young
Absent from photo: Fanny Binetti, Geraldine Munce, Edythe Ritchie

Speakers at the annual luncheon were Teri Klein, RSVP Project Director; Joseph Mann, President/CEO NEON, Inc. the sponsoring agency for RSVP; Bob Duff, Connecticut State Senator., Mayor Richard Moccia and Kathleen Warner, District Director for Representative Jim Himes.

The Creative Service Award was presented to volunteer Don Smith and his dog Brasil, for their initiation and participation in the D2R2 (Dogs to Read to) Program, at the East Norwalk Library . This program which helps children improve their reading skills by listening to trained dogs has been expanded to four other area libraries. Stanley Siegel, Executive Director of the East Norwalk Library presented a special Certificate of Appreciation from the library to Don and Brasil. (see photo above right)

Kathleen Warner, on behalf of Representative Jim Himes congratulated and thanked all the volunteers for their dedication and introduced the President’s Call to Service Award with a letter from President Obama. Mayor Richard Moccia presented the award which honors 11 RSVP volunteers who have contributed over 40,000 lifetime hours of community service. This award was presented to Doris Allegrini, Fanny Binetti, Carol Goetz, Betty Johnson, Susan Mahar, Geraldine Munce, Dell Petrone, Edythe Ritchie, Molly Small, Pei Yan Tan, and Anna Young. (see photo) Anna Young was also recognized for obtaining more than 30 gift certificates from area businesses, which were given as prizes at the luncheon.

Entertainment was provided by the Serendipity Chorale, directed by GiGi Van Dyke. This community-based volunteer singing group has delighted audiences for over 30 years.

The annual luncheon was made possible with support from Norwalk Community College, the Westport Woman’s Club, and Carousel Pre-School, as well as Calvary Baptist Church, East Norwalk Library, New Canaan Nature Center, Norwalk Housing Authority, Sister Mary Jane Card, Stamford Museum & Nature Center, Betty Voutsinas, and the Wilton Community Team. Centerpieces were provided by Bruce’s Flowers.

Other organizations that offer continued support to RSVP of Southwestern Connecticut include The Corporation for National & Community Service, the City of Norwalk, CT Department of Social Services’ Aging Services Division, and the Town of Wilton. Special thanks were also given to Mr. Joseph Mann, President/CEO NEON, Inc., the NEON Board of Directors and the RSVP Advisory Council.

Anyone age 55 and over can become an RSVP Volunteer, and assist in a variety of programs that benefit the community. For more information contact Nancy Pratt, Outreach Coordinator at (203) 633-7332 or e-mail npratt@neon-norwalk.org.

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!