Category «Community»

File of Life Packet for seniors who require emergency assistance in their home

Help Save Your Life with the File of Life!
Altrusa International of Meredith, N.H., Inc. is honored to be able to present the File of Life service project to Lakes Region seniors or single member households.
500 File of Life Packets were purchased for assembly and distribution via local libraries, town offices, fire and police departments, the Meredith Community Center, Altrusa monthly Community Dinners, the local Visiting Nurses Association, Interlakes Community Caregivers, local family medicine and family healthcare offices.
Eligible residents who may require emergency assistance in their home are encouraged to take one of the free magnetized packets where they can document a current record of personal medical needs and directives, up-to-date medications, drug contradictions, emergency contact, and a brief medical history.
There’s also a window sticker to alert first responders to the location of the packet in the home…most popular, being the kitchen refrigerator. There is room for a small photo in the front pocket to help with identification during an emergency. Residents are encouraged to ask their medical advisor for assistance in completing the insert if needed.
Medical personnel and first responders can access the File of Life information upon their arrival, enabling them to quickly assess the treatment and transport to the appropriate medical facility if necessary. Our local Altrusa club contact information is also provided should residents require more than one insert for their home.

Altrusa MHC Supporting Wreaths Across America/SOS

The Martinsville-Henry County club had two projects this year. The first project, our members purchased and wrote notes in 208 cards collected for veterans. The cards were taken to the Veterans Hospital complex in Salem, Virginia, for distribution to residents and hospitalized/outpatient veterans being served. The cards were completed in the months of September and October so that they could be distributed during November in honor of Veterans Day. The second project involved a total of 14 wreaths from the Martinsville/Henry County club being purchased as the club worked collaboratively with the Richmond Club to participate in the Wreaths Across America Project for placement of wreaths in the Richmond area. The funds were collected in November so that the project could be completed in December.

“Supporting Our Community During The Pandemic”

Altrusa International of Martinsville/Henry County, VA is known for its commitment to community service—even in a pandemic. The local chapter wrote 560 thank-you notes to members of the Martinsville Police Department, Henry County Sheriff’s Office, Henry County EMS, Fire Departments, hospital staff members, including COVID-19 workers, hospital emergency room staff and housekeeping staff, and the Henry County Health Department staff.
A total of 208 thank-you cards were prepared for veterans, thanking them for their service to our country. These cards were taken to the Veterans Hospital complex in Salem, VA for distribution to residents and to the hospitalized and outpatient veterans being served.
In recognition of poll workers who worked at the voting precincts in November, signs stating “Altrusa supports the heroes working here” were delivered to the city and county registrar’s offices for display at all voting precincts in the Martinsville/Henry County area on Election Day.

Spring Into Action At Grace Network

Altrusa MHC members, Nancy Bryant, Clarke Beckner, Lillian Holland, Karen Cecil, Linda Dorr, and Martha Woody recently spent time at Grace Network tidying up the “waiting room” in anticipation of opening Grace Network to walk-ins starting in May. This will be the first time the “waiting room” will be open to walk-ins since March 2020. Members spent time wiping down chairs, updating the informational bulletin boards and putting together client packets from Smart Beginnings. The packets include applications for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. #leadingtoabettercommunity #supportinggracenetwork #communityservice #

Altrusa MHC Supporting Community Heroes

Altrusa MHC Supporting Community Heroes
Altrusa International MHC Supporting Community Heroes who work at Day Care Centers in Martinsville and Henry County. Pictured First Baptist Church Early Learning Center.
The Day Cares recognized with signs include the following:
YMCA Early Learning Center, Collinsville YMCA, Terrie Finney FDH, God’s Creative LC, First Baptist Church Early Learning Center, Boys & Girls Club BR, Blessings From Above, First United Methodist Early Learning Center, Little Hearts, Sharon Martin FDH, Happy Feet ELC, Jennifer Moorefield, Rachel Carter FDH, Stanleytown Amazing Grace, and DeCapo Inspire.
#thankyou #altrusaservice #communityheroes

ALTRUSA AUDIOBOOK LIBRARY

With grants from BC Gaming ($5,000) and Altrusa International Foundation ($4,000 US), the Altrusa Club of Nanaimo set up its own Playaway Audiobook library for our sight impaired clients. Audiobook deliveries were integrated into our current library book delivery schedule. We hope to grow our inventory to serve more people in the community. A HUGE thank you to Vicki for making initial contact with the supplier and getting the ball rolling! Our new library now has a home in Elizabeth’s garage. Elizabeth and Linda are in charge of selecting books. Marean helped Elizabeth with the grant application. When the order arrived, Elizabeth, Donna and Vicki categorized, labelled and shelved the books. Then, with help from Donna and Shirley, Elizabeth created a lending information binder to track our clients and audiobooks. Janice S produced a welcome letter with operating instructions for distribution to all clients on the first delivery, while Trudi sewed the client delivery bags with a different colour for each of the three routes. Sharen, Pat F, Vivien, Roberta, Pat W and Elizabeth made the first delivery on April 8th, and Jan W paid all the bills! Teamwork, teamwork, teamwork!!!

Bus and Park It Packs

Canadians have been encouraged to spend time in the fresh air and nature during this pandemic, because it is so important for our mental and emotional well-being. To that end, Altrusa International of Nanaimo members assembled 530 “Bus & Park It” packs, each containing 10 transit tickets, 2 face masks, hand sanitizer, a transit bus schedule, a map of Nanaimo’s parks and recreation areas, and instructions on Covid 19 protocol. The packs were then delivered to 16 community service agencies who helped distribute them throughout the city. These Bus & Park It packs enabled riders of all ages and abilities to safely reach playgrounds, beaches, sporting facilities and viewpoints. Altrusa targeted vulnerable citizens who fell into the following six categories: mental illness, poverty, Indigenous, homeless, disabilities or supportive living. The response to this project exceeded our expectations!

Altrusa Park Beautification Project

The Altrusa Park Beautification Project began as a Mamie L. Bass project in 1984. Janice Koss, a member of the club at the time, initiated the project. The purpose of the project was to beautify the Four Corners Park and attract people into the downtown. The Altrusa Park is located on the northwest corner and is maintained solely by Altrusa members. It contains several war memorials and monuments, and numerous community activities occur in the downtown park throughout the year. The monuments include the Veterans Memorial, Korean and Vietnam War Memorial, World War II Memorial, and a Flag Pole Memorial. Besides attracting people to the park, it also pays tribute to those who served in the armed forces.

The park is planted every spring by the Altrusa members with beautiful annual flowers. Altrusa members also weed and deadhead the flowers throughout the growing season. It is fertilized every two weeks to keep the flowers in full bloom. An underground sprinkling system is utilized to water the flowers automatically. The flower beds are cleaned up at the end of the growing season by Altrusa members as well. A sign is proudly displayed to reflect the flowers are maintained by Altrusa.

Many events occur in the downtown Four Corners Park throughout spring and summer drawing people from all over the area. Some of the events include Strawberry Fest, Entertainment Under the Stars, Farmers Markets on Saturdays, sidewalk sale days, Apple Fest, as well as parades for holidays.
These events bring people to Coldwater which helps downtown businesses, provides fresh produce and fruits for county residents, provides vendors an opportunity to sell arts and crafts, and provides social activities for participants. Altrusa Park is a wonderful event venue for the community and for visitors as well.

This Snack’s On Us!

Altrusa of the Seacoast wanted to give back to the First Responders at York Hospital in York, Maine and its satellite facility in Wells, Maine, by providing all employees; all shifts with a healthy snack as a way of thanking them for their service. All members of our Club took part in some way. We secured a budget; decided on healthy individual drinks and snacks; shopped at BJ’s for items and had 3 groups of 4 women each, gloved and masked, and outside at the Chairperson’s home, fill 300 snack bags with these snacks and drinks, adding an Altrusa sticker and thank you on each bag. The local Lindt chocolate company donated many, many hundreds of chocolate treats to add to each bag as well as enough left to make five large baskets of chocolates for the Fire, Police, Ambulance, EMT departments and two local retirement and rehab communities. It was an extremely rewarding and, we believe, successful project, reaching probably close to 400 people with snacks; chocolates, and Altrusa information.

Supporting the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Hangers Clothes Closet (Community, Children)

During the pandemic, Evansville Altrusans held a parking lot drive for Hangers to collect personal hygiene products. Hangers is an Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation clothing resource committed to serving EVSC students in need by providing them every-day living essentials that would otherwise be unaffordable. By providing clothing, school supplies, and hygiene products, they strive to improve the self-esteem and confidence of each student served, and in turn, ensure greater student success and fulfillment.

The club members donated over 250 personal care items, purchased 100 leisure reading books for middle and high school students and donated $250.00 for needed winter clothing.