Looking for a Few Good Elves!

Calling All Elves!

Imagine making the holidays even more special this year for an elder. 

Now you can help REAL Services by joining the ELVES for ELDERS Program for the 2018 Holiday Season.  Since 2004, REAL Services has been spreading JOY to more than 1,000 seniors in Elkhart, Kosciusko, LaPorte, Marshall, and St. Joseph Counties. You or your organization can make a REAL difference by ‘adopting’ an elder (or more than one) and providing them with much-needed items such as slippers, a warm robe, or a mug for their tea or hot chocolate.   

The holidays can sometimes be lonely for seniors who may not have anyone to share it with, and Elves for Elders makes sure they are not forgotten during this season. This very popular program would not exist without you or your organization’s generosity of time and donations. You will be helping seniors ranging in age from 60 to 103!

It’s Easy and Makes Such A Difference

Our ELVES simply purchase ‘wish list’ items for ELDERS, which is about $50 per senior. New this year, we are encouraging our ELVES to personally deliver their gifts to the elder to experience the sheer delight that your kindness offers these wonderful people. Isn’t that what the holidays are all about?

If you cannot personally deliver the gifts, our volunteers are happy to help with getting them to your elder. All we ask is that you drop your ‘wish list’ items at a REAL Services office in Elkhart, LaPorte, Plymouth, South Bend, or Warsaw.   

Are You or Your Organization Ready to Be Part of the 2018 Elves for Elders?  

Elves for Elders is a great opportunity for a family or group to make a difference in someone’s life over the holidays. This year, we are expecting an unprecedented number of seniors for this program.  

We are looking for companies, groups, and individuals to adopt a REAL Services senior client, and/or deliver the gifts to them, or both. All you have to do to be part of this year’s Elves for Elders is to complete a volunteer application, or email Allen Holt at allen2@realservices.org or call Allen at 574-284-7138.  

Thank you for making a REAL difference this holiday season!

2018 REAL Big Raffle - Thanks

Thank you for making the 2018 REAL Big Raffle a SUCCESS. This was the eighth year for the raffle and the third year that we SOLD OUT all 2,000 coupons. The support of people like you is heartwarming and makes a difference in the lives of people in our community! Whether you were one of the prize winners or not, you should know that the funds generated by the REAL Big Raffle make a difference in the lives of elderly and low-income people of our community. Each $50 coupon purchased provided 10 meals for a home-bound person in need of our Meals on Wheels program. Below is a complete list of all our prize winners. Perhaps you or someone you know is on the list. At REAL Services, we fight for the independence, dignity and strength of our community and the individuals who live here. By participating in the raffle, YOU made a difference in someone's life... THANK YOU for making that difference! Sincerely, Judy Jankowski Director of Development

PRIZE	VALUE	DRAWING	PRIZE WINNERS
GRAND PRIZE - Room Makeover by Peacock and Co. OR a Subaru or Cash Prize or $15,000	$25,000	FINAL drawing 7/25	Matt Arnold
Dinner for 20 people - Simply Catering to You	$400	FINAL drawing 7/25	Judith Kloc
Three Months Gold Family Membership Gift Certificates - KROC Community Center	$200	FINAL drawing 7/25	Andrea Mather-Stowe
Lunch for 15 people - Simply Catering to You	$150	FINAL drawing 7/25	Barbara Mangione
Twelve $10 Giftcards - Peggs	$120	FINAL drawing 7/25	Rob Lingenfelter
One $100 Giftcard - Four Winds Casino Resort	$100	FINAL drawing 7/25	Marie Vascil
One $100 Giftcard Navarre Hospitality Group Restaurants	$100	FINAL drawing 7/25	Patty Farmer
One $100 Gift Card - Sams/Walmart	$100	FINAL drawing 7/25	Valerie Wade
Pavilion Rental Gift Certificate - South Bend Parks Dept.	$75	FINAL drawing 7/25	David Crim
2 - 750 ml bottles of Indiana Whiskey	$60	FINAL drawing 7/25	Marsha Williams
"Beautifying Experience" Basket and Gift Certificate - Salon Nouveau	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Lyle Besson
One $50 Gift Certificate - Legends of Notre Dame	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Peter Tribula
One $50 Gift Certificate - Emporium	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Cheryl Scarberry
Brunch for two people - Tippecanoe Place	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	JoAnn Burke
One $50 Gift Certificate - Taphouse on the Edge	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Sally Koziel
Two $25 Gift Certificates - Doc Pierce's	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Larry Davis
Two tickets  - Jesus Christ Superstar	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	John Phair
One $50 Giftcard - Villa Macri	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	John Mummert
One $50 Giftcard - Villa Macri	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Pete Mullen
One $50 Giftcard Navarre Hospitality Group Restaurants	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Ella Amaral
One $50 Giftcard Navarre Hospitality Group Restaurants	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Sean Klimczak
One $50 Giftcard - Ruth's Chris Steakhouse	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Leah Zimmer
One $50 Giftcard - Ruth's Chris Steakhouse	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Gregory Matthews
One $50 Giftcard - Ruth's Chris Steakhouse	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Ricard Ruby
One $50 Giftcard - The Shed Restaurant	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Tina Pendergrass
One $50 Giftcard - Yesterday's Restaurant	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Janice Conlon
Two $25 Giftcards - Allie's Café and Catering	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Connie Clauson
Five $10 Gift Certificates - Copper Creek Café	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Rhonda Longley
One $50 Gift Certificate - Main Street Grille	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Patricia O'Donoghue
One $50 Gift Certificate - Rocco's Restaurant	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Maxine Makenna
One $25 Gift Certificate CJ's Pub, Sauce and Seasoning and Two $10 Gift Certificates to Yellow Cat Café	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Ted Poledor
One $20 Giftcard & One $30 Giftcard- Portillo's	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Deb Smoger
One $50 Gift Card - Martins	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Betsey Williams
One Beer & BBQ Basket & $20 Martins Gift Card	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Esther Page
Ten Classes - Jazzercise	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Gean & Hannah Devlin
Two $25.00 Gift Certificates - Hacienda	$50	FINAL drawing 7/25	Linda Abair
Inn at St. Mary's, One night stay, includes 2 full breakfasts	$125	Summer Drawing-6/27	Sean Klimczak
One $100 American Express prepaid card	$100	Summer Drawing-6/27	Carla Meekhof
Two Tickets in 1st Balcony to a Concert of your choice during the 2018-19 Jack M. Champaigne Masterworks Series South Bend Symphony	$80	Summer Drawing-6/27	William Elson
One $50.00 Gift Certificate Carriage House Restaurant	$50	Summer Drawing-6/27	Michele Belzowski
4 Box Seats South Bend Cubs	$50	Summer Drawing-6/27	Linda Brown
$500 cash	$500	Earlybird Drawing-5/23	Ronald Stucky
One night stay, plus 2 breakfasts	$150	Earlybird Drawing-5/23	Andrea Mather-Stow
Gift Certificates 3 large/2 topping pizzas	$60	Earlybird Drawing-5/23	Veronica Vargo
Two $25.00 gift cards	$50	Earlybird Drawing-5/23	Sean Klimczak
Brunch for two people	$50	Earlybird Drawing-5/23	Barbara Sutton

The REAL Grille - Great Food, Great Cause

Great Food, Great Cause

A food truck just rolled off the assembly line in Elkhart and into our community.  “The REAL Grille” is serving up some great eats – but the REAL Grille is so much more …. 

The concept for a food truck came to REAL Services from some Notre Dame Business students.  The business plan for the venture was then vetted by the REAL Services Board of Directors.  The REAL Grille business plan was shared with our community partners and was completely funded by grants and donations in an effort led by Mary Jane Stanley, our Board Chair.  The “REAL Grille” food truck became a reality in September, 2018. The food truck specialties include gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato basil soup and other delights.  Look for the REAL Grille where other food trucks can be found:  on the street, at businesses or at private parties. 

There is a unique and distinctive difference to the REAL Grille because every cent of profit will be used to support the Meals on Wheels. Put simply, the sale of each gourmet grilled cheese sandwich will help feed the elderly and disabled in our community. The REAL Grille is serving great food for a great cause.  Many thanks to all who played an important part in this fun and worthy project! 

More information on the REAL Grille can be found at this link:    

https://www.realservices.org/_wp/index.php/the-real-grille/

Alzheimer's Awareness Month

Awareness

June is World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month.   The definition of awareness is being concerned about an issue and being knowledgeable about the issue.  I believe that we are all concerned about the growing number of our friends and family members that have Alzheimer’s disease.  The Centers for Disease Control found that the number of Americans afflicted by Alzheimer’s and related dementia is likely to rise rapidly in the coming years. It is estimated that about 5.5 million Americans 65 years and older currently have the disease. By 2050, that’s expected to more than double to 13.8 million people.  This concerns me as an individual who is over 65 years of age and as a member of the REAL Services team – a team whose mission is to help those we serve live as independently as possible. 

REAL More

Awareness is knowing - knowing the difference between normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease.  And, Awareness is knowing where to turn for information, education, and support. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana has quietly and compassionately provided services to families and organizations in our communities for over 36 years. 

It serves as a unique, comprehensive, unbiased, and vital resource for families and others caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s and related dementia.  A full range of services are provided right here in Northern Indiana, including education, support, counseling, training, certification, and consultation.  Alzheimer and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana is staffed with skilled specialists whose sole mission is to support caregivers and others, through the journey of Alzheimer’s disease.  They fully understand that, while the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease is life changing, it is a change that can be best met with understanding, knowledge, and support. 

  

The Institute for Excellence in Memory Care is a program of Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana. The Institute provides certification for professionals, care facilities, and care staff.  Its mission is to transform memory care by defining standards of excellence, cultivating memory care professionals, and introducing sustainable certification criteria for the dementia care community.  The training program offered through our local Institute is one of 3 in the entire country that has met the standards of the Alzheimer’s Association of America in all 10 training modules. 

This is Alzheimer’s Awareness month.  We are so fortunate to have Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana standing by us to support our communities and our loved ones.  To contact Alzheimer’s & Dementia Services of Northern Indiana call or email: (574) 232-4121 or info@alzni.org.

The REAL "Big" Raffle

Glenna Miller - Meals on Wheels Client

Glenna Miller

Glenna has blue eyes; one of them is fake and the other one sparkles.  She lives with her daughter in Mishawaka and has since 2010 after she broke her femur from a fall at home.  “My doctors told me that my bones don’t heal well” she told me.  But I’ve gotten ahead of her story.

Glenna was two when her family moved to a farm in Fulton County in 1931.  Later they would move to town, “we were only two blocks from school” she said. Her dad had a variety of jobs and Glenna went to four different schools before 11^th grade.  She grew up, married, had a daughter, and divorced the man that tried to strangle her.  Where do you go when it’s just you and a small child; back to family was Glenna’s choice. Glenna and her daughter stayed with mom and dad though Glenna worked. She took care of her dad before he passed away from cancer and she stayed to take care of her mom until she too passed in 1968.

During WWII Glenna worked at a radio factory and a sewing factory in Rochester. She continued to work in sewing factories in Fulton County until she retired. She also sewed at home making Barbie clothes for her daughter and the neighbor girls.  She learned to crochet and had a couple larger projects that were “underway”. As Glenna shared “I had a couple afghans that were 10 year projects” and she hoped to finish those projects when she retired.

Retirement didn’t bring a lot of down time. Friends encouraged her to volunteer a little, but a little didn’t last long. She volunteered at Woodlawn Hospital in Rochester, at the Historical Society, and at the Senior Center and soon found she was gone 4 full days a week.

In 2009 Glenna had a hip replacement then in 2010 she fell at home and broke her femur.  That’s when the doctors told her “your bones don’t heal well”.  She left rehab using a walker and went to live with her daughter. Between her daughter and other family members, they tried to give her 24/7 care.  It was too much. Glenna neither wanted nor felt she needed that much help.  Also her daughter works during the day and has medical problems of her own.  What did Glenna really want/need?  The transition from sitting/standing is difficult and she can’t stand long. Through conversations, they determined they needed someone to check on Glenna while her daughter was at work and for her to have a healthy lunch.  Meals on Wheels became their answer.

Glenna has been receiving MOW for 5 years and loves the service and the volunteers.  She especially likes when she can have a  short conversation with the volunteers. “It’s lonely during the day and I look forward to seeing the delivery person.  Sometimes they help me with something small; one person opened the garage door for me and another volunteer brings treats for the dog and cats”.  She especially remembers the conversation where a gentleman was telling her that he was going out to dinner with his wife for their anniversary at the German restaurant.  She talked about the deliveries made by the Logan clients; they are full of smiles and hugs.  Knowing someone will stop by for a short time is something she looks forward to.

Her projects? She completed her afghans, a bedspread, a couch cover, and now crochets prayer shawls and lap robes using patterns she looks up on the internet. Yes, at 89 years old she uses a tablet and the internet.

You’re wondering about her fake right eye.  Her retina detached a couple times, then when she fell and hit her face on the bathroom lavatory, the eye had to be removed; her left eye still sparkles though.

Elves for Elders 2017 - Thanks

Elves for Elders - 2017

I’m going to share portions of some of the thank you letters we received:

Client A:  “You must be Santa’s very best elves. Thank you for all the wonderful and always needed supplies for body, home, and mind.  Even the cat assumes the bag is for him (he commandeered it anyway).  We are fortunate to know you have us in your generous hearts.”

Client B:  “Thank you so much for the much needed gifts. The card from “friend” was so cute and caring!  The young couple as elves were very enjoyable and caring.  Again your organization is helping one so much!”

Client C:  “I was given a present a few days ago that brought tears to my eyes.  A little boy, Adam” from ---- school, his spelling wasn’t always correct, but it reminded me of my children when they were small.  Thanks SO much for the card Adam and keep up the good work with your football.”

Client D:  “Thank you so much for the beautiful gifts – you all will be in my prayers.”

Client E:  “I want to thank my Secret Santa for the lovely gifts and food that you blessed me with. My heart is filled with so much gratitude and love.  This meant the world to me that you cared enough to bless me this Christmas.  God is so good.”

Client F:  “I just want to thank you for the BIG BAG of Goodies.  I’ve got enough paper supplies to last a while and I really appreciate it. You got me covered with detergent so no excuse for dirty clothes. I really appreciate everything; the cookies were good but I ate them in one day. That’s why I never buy them; they were a real treat!!  Thanks so much for everything!!!  God Bless You.”

The 2017 Elves for Elders served 755 seniors who are at home or at a nursing facility and 250 individuals who go to the nutrition sites.  In total we all helped 1,005 individuals in our community.