Community Partners in Caring held its annual Volunteer Recognition Luncheon at the Radisson Hotel in Santa Maria on Nov. 14. This year, the nonprofit is celebrating 10 years of providing service to the community in the form of volunteer assistance to seniors (most of which is medical transport for homebound seniors who can’t drive or access public transportation), light housekeeping, yard work, friendly visits, and paperwork assistance. All of the organization’s services are provided free of charge.
The luncheon featured more than 100 of the nonprofit’s volunteers, a feat in itself, according to Executive Director Ashley Payne.
“It’s amazing to get them all together in one room,” she said. “Our volunteers go directly to the client’s home, so we don’t get to see them unless we do a training or recognition like this … ,” Payne said.
Community Partners in Caring selected a man and woman each from Santa Maria and Lompoc to be recognized as Volunteers Above and Beyond of the year. The honorees were Liz Maxfield and Darrel Freeze of Santa Maria, and Butch Adeloe and Nancy Collins of Lompoc.
Jack’s All American Plumbing was awarded business of the year. According to Payne, many seniors live in older homes with plumbing problems. Jack’s employees visit homes two or three times a month to take care of jobs, and only charge for materials.
Elements and Mosaic Christian churches were recognized as well, for gathering 50 people to clean seniors’ homes on their Make a Difference Day last month.
Also on hand were local organizations that support Community Partners in Caring, including staffers from the cities of Santa Maria and Lompoc, the United Way, the Woods Family Foundation, local Rotary clubs, and Altrusa, as well as representatives from Rabobank and Quintron, a local logistics company.
Founded with help from a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation more than a decade ago, Community Partners in Caring began when a group of local volunteers wanted to organize to help more seniors in the community.
Intern Nicholas Walter compiled this week’s Community Corner. Send items for consideration to mail@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Nov 20-27, 2008.