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HomeMay 2013 Newsletter

May 2013 Newsletter


May 2013
Covering  Brewster, Eastham,  Harwich, Orleans and Wellfleet

More Info:
NausetNeighbors.org
508-514-7067


Village News

OUR NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The purpose of our Board of Directors is to determine and promote the goals of Nauset Neighbors. To that end, the Board engages in strategic planning to achieve those goals, develops policies, and provides oversight and management.  As a new organization, our Board is critical to our future success and our sustainability.   We are two years old.  Will we be here five years from now?   Ten years from now?

Each Director is appointed to a two-year term which expires in May, and may be reappointed for two additional terms.  We have asked the Directors of our 2013-2014 Board to write two paragraphs: first, a short description to provide insight into their professional skills and second, what they would tell a friend or neighbor why they should volunteer for Nauset Neighbors.  As you will see, our Directors bring a variety of know-how and expertise to the table, and we are optimistic for the future.

Esther Elkin:  President

Provide general direction and oversight to Nauset Neighbors.  Represent Nauset Neighbors to the community.  Chair board meetings. 

With a master’s degree in microbiology, I began my career teaching high school biology and then as a research assistant at MIT.  While at home for ten years with my two children, I took evening courses in computer programming and accounting, passed the CPA exam, and reentered the workforce in finance.  For the last eighteen years, I worked for a high tech company in the Boston area, which grew from about thirty employees to over one hundred when I retired.  I helped to computerize their accounting system and establish a personnel department, and ended my career as Controller. 

Volunteering for Nauset Neighbors is a win-win situation, because in the process of helping others remain in their homes and providing them with a better quality of life, we also derive benefit, such as feeling good, meeting new people and making new friends, learning about our towns and town resources, keeping our creative and intellectual juices alive, learning new technologies, and preparing for our own futures.  In addition, we can give and receive all this in an extremely flexible environment, changing the level of our service from one week to another as life pulls us in other directions.  

Dick Elkin:  Vice President-Member Services, Clerk

Plan, coordinate, analyze and improve the delivery of services to members.  Maintain and improve the processes, systems and software used in the delivery of services.  Fulfill legal duties of clerk, including state reporting. 

I was a project and engineering manager, and a software and systems engineer for many years at the Raytheon Company before I retired.  I worked on many systems, including radars such as PAVE PAWS, NEXRAD and the FAA’s Terminal Doppler Weather Radar.  I also worked on air traffic control systems in the US and the Netherlands. 

Helping with Nauset Neighbors is a rewarding experience for the volunteer as well as the member.    We meet wonderful people and have many wonderful conversations.  There is also a pleasure in being able to help a person that goes to the heart of who we are.

Bruce Bohlen:  Vice President-Administration, Treasurer.

Manage the finances of Nauset Neighbors, accepting fees and donations and expending funds for expenses.  Prepare required financial reports for the board, including state and federal reports and tax returns. 

I enjoyed a thirty-eight year career with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, a quasi-governmental transportation agency, until my retirement in 2004. During this period, I worked in various financial capacities, culminating in my appointment to the position of Treasurer in 1996.  As Treasurer, I was responsible for the management of a $2 billion investment portfolio, issuance of tax exempt bonds and the design and maintenance of an insurance program which covered assets ranging from airports and ports, to tunnels and bridges and to the World Trade Center.

At Nauset Neighbors, I am the Treasurer and the Director responsible for administering the financial aspects of the organization.  I was drawn to Nauset Neighbors after discussions with the founding members of the organization and with personal friends who were serving as volunteers.  I find it very gratifying to be able to help our members stay in their homes and function as members of their communities by providing basic services when needed.  I encourage others on Cape Cod to consider serving as a volunteer and/or a Board member of Nauset Neighbors because of the satisfaction I have experienced through this program.

Pat Zeiss:  Vice-President Outreach, Member Intake

Plan, coordinate and support outreach services for members, volunteers and the public.  Manage the acceptance of new members and conduct initial interviews with new members. Provide orientation for members about how to access services and what services Nauset Neighbors can and can’t provide.  Be an advocate for members.


In June 1965, I earned a B.A. in English and NJ teaching certification.  In August 1965, I earned my Mrs.  During the following years my career was wife and mother sprinkled with teaching both professionally in schools, in the business world and in many volunteer opportunities.  The strengths utilized in teaching have been used in many of the volunteer causes in which I have been deeply involved.

Everyone can use a good neighbor.  It used to be for a cup of sugar for a special recipe or a babysitter for an emergency that came out of the blue.  As a result of our aging and moving far from our families, our ability to be independent can become compromised.  We need a good neighbor.  Offering a helping hand to our members is a most gratifying experience.  Having Nauset Neighbors in place now bodes well for our own future needs. 

Ellen Bowler:  Secretary

Take minutes at Board and Executive Committee meetings.  Circulate minutes by email to attendees and post on the website.

After teaching English (middle school and high school) for ten years, I moved into educational publishing. As a textbook editor, I was involved in developing, managing, and editing language arts programs.

I encourage others to volunteer by pointing out the ease of volunteering--there is no fixed time or day; it's completely at the volunteer's convenience--and the huge payback in satisfaction for such a small commitment.

Bea Auty:  Volunteer Intake

Follow up on people expressing interest in volunteering and hold small group orientation meetings.  

Early experience in office work was as diverse as secretary/bookkeeper at the South End Day Nursery in Boston to secretary to the Dean of Pembroke College to interviewing applicants to Dow Corning Corporation in Michigan and handling insurance claims. After getting three children on their way in school, I went back to school myself and with a M.Ed. and later certification as a school psychologist I spent time in Williamstown and Holbrook, MA working with children, parents and teachers to provide the best teaching and learning strategies for various developmental stages. Volunteer work has included board duties with the League of Women Voters and chairmanship of various church committees, dealing with social issues. It has also been exciting to initiate new endeavors, such as day care in Northern Berkshire, and fresh water quality testing here in Orleans.

It has been a joy to see the development of Nauset Neighbors into a truly sustaining service to seniors in the area. I would highly recommend volunteering with this group of active, warm and caring individuals. Meeting the changing needs of seniors is challenging and rewarding. The flexibility of scheduling is appealing to people leading busy lives. Moving out of one’s own circle is stimulating. I would say try it. You may be surprised how very much you like it!

Ken Cheek:  Volunteer Issues

Understand and resolve personal and process issues related to the way volunteers deliver services to members.

I grew up in Michigan, attended April College (with a junior year in London) and got my Masters Degree in Social Work.  In the forty following years, I worked in an agency for the blind in Cleveland, a psychiatric hospital at Yale, and then as a school social worker in Hamden, Connecticut.  My wife Jane and I have two children, a son in Ann Arbor, Michigan and a daughter in Alaska.

Being a retired social worker, I jumped at the chance to be part of Nauset Neighbors. To be able to be of assistance to others and then to be warmly thanked by (almost) everyone just simply makes me feel good. Many of our members (and also other volunteers) are rather amazing people and it is a great opportunity to get to know them. 

Claudia Drucker:  Publicity

Raise our profile in the community through publicity in the local media, including newspapers, radio and TV.  Organize publicity campaigns to make our mission and capabilities known, with emphasis on recruiting volunteers. 

I like to say I was born in the garden, spent my childhood in museums, playing music or doing art, and was always interested in unusual cultures and diversity.  I spent much of my career working in health promotion fields, including women’s issues, adoption, AIDS, addiction, smoking and hospital therapeutic dietetics.  For some time, I owned an Ethnographic Gallery/Shop.  My world travels have introduced me to amazing individuals of the human, botanical and sea creature variety that constantly open my eyes to new possibilities and points of view. 

Living in a small town, it amazes me how many interesting individuals with varied backgrounds, stories and talents are here that I have not yet met, including some who I’ve seen before but don’t really know, and as a volunteer for Nauset Neighbors, I have the opportunity to meet some of them.  In addition, Nauset Neighbors provides the flexibility to choose when I can serve, which removes any guilt of “time conflicts” and fits well into my lifestyle and travel schedule.  

Aylette Jenness:  Member/Volunteer Feedback

Communicate with members and volunteers to determine satisfaction and in order to help us with retention and to evaluate our performance.

A favorite part of my career as an exhibit and program developer at the Boston Children's Museum was working with community members and learning what interested them, how they wanted to be involved with the museum, what gave them pleasure, what didn't work for them.  That experience was invaluable to me for my role at Nauset Neighbors to gauge member and volunteer satisfaction.  

Volunteers often tell me how much they have gained from their experiences, how they have a feeling of doing something truly useful, and about the pleasure of meeting someone new or of making a new friend.  I feel the same way.  I see connections being made that wouldn't have happened without Nauset Neighbors, small blossomings that enrich the lives of members and volunteers. 

Marie Kelly:  New Town Expansion
Consolidate the expansion into Harwich, strengthening the volunteer base and the general awareness of our mission in Harwich.  Plan expansion into Chatham as Chatham volunteers come forward.   

Before moving to the Cape, I was the Director of Marketing for a software company in the Boston area, and spent as much time as possible at my vacation home in Harwich before moving here full time in 2010.  I am now a Realtor with Realty Executives in Brewster and am loving life on the Cape.

As a Realtor, I came in contact with so many of our senior neighbors who are alone and trying to stay in their homes for as long as possible.  Being able to assist them in that quest by volunteering for Nauset Neighbors is immensely rewarding.  The gratitude our members display for helping them retain some independence and dignity is often overwhelming.  And the flexible time commitment makes volunteering for Nauset Neighbors a possibility for almost anyone.

Mary Lee Mantz:  Outreach Presentations

Communicate with the public, building ties to community organizations and fostering awareness of our mission and capabilities.

I was a nurse, a nurse-midwife, and for the last twenty years a senior advisor in international public health, living and working in Africa and Eastern Europe.  A big part of my job was to do a variety of presentations for foreign ministries of health, the US government, and other donor agencies.  I also taught in several universities. This experience makes me comfortable doing presentations for Nauset Neighbors, my portfolio on the Board.

Volunteering for Nauset Neighbors has been a wonderful way to meet people in my community that I otherwise probably would not know.  It also provides an opportunity to carry out in my home community something that I learned firsthand in Africa - it truly does take a village to care for those most in need.    And who knows?   One of these days or years, those of us who volunteer now may be in need of that care, too.

Joan McCabe:  Volunteer Recruitment

Develop strategies and programs for recruiting new volunteers in Nauset Neighbors area.

I retired as a Registered Nurse with a background in Orthopedics and Trauma Care. After 25 years in the clinical arena, I was invited to use my background skills to work in clinical research in the areas of bone health and osteoporosis research.   

My initial impression of Nauset Neighbors was that it was a great idea, based on a proven model. It is an opportunity to “give back” after a long career.  Having the Internet setup that this group uses eliminates the necessity to donate time in advance which is not very efficient, since schedules often change unexpectedly.  The most rewarding aspect is the people you meet are very strong and determined to stay independent. Additionally, they are so appreciative of anything one does for them; they simply cannot get over it. This is a truly good organization and a great way to give back to the community.

Margaret Newman:  Training

Ensure that call managers and other “office staff” volunteers understand and are familiar with the software and procedures used by volunteer services.  Oversee general training needs for the organization.

I retired from the practice of Diagnostic Radiology at Saints Memorial Medical Center in Lowell in Dec 2006 and moved to the Cape full time in June of 2008. Since then I have been busy with meeting new friends and doing various volunteer activities, most notably Nauset Neighbors. I have been a call manager since spring of 2011, and took on the training of all new call managers last summer.

I frequently pass out information about Nauset Neighbors to people I meet at the gym, or in other meetings and contexts. I feel that the services we provide are important in keeping our members in their homes, and help make life worth living to folks that have served the community in past years. I feel we are paying it forward, and hope that someday someone will help me when I need the help.
  
Joan Platt:  Call Managers

Coordinate daily operation of the “virtual office,” harmonizing questions of policy related to services and ensuring the smooth operation of the call managers.  Report on issues and concerns raised by call managers to the board and communicate board decisions to call managers.

My life skills have developed through both professional and volunteer activities.  I was a Middle School history and social studies teacher.  On the Cape I spent at least a decade volunteering as a Hospice volunteer, working with developmentally-disabled adults, as a desk volunteer at Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Center, and was on the Wellfleet Conservation Commission, which I chaired for three years.  All these activities promote "people" skills, as well as organization, planning and problem-solving.  

Volunteering with Nauset Neighbors allows us to make a direct and personal impact on the lives of our senior neighbors. We will all reach a point in life where some help from a caring neighbor can make the difference between struggling to remain independent and being able to reach out to a friendly person who can help us to meet life's needs.  The gratitude expressed by our members serves to enrich the lives of all our volunteers.  It's a win-win situation for all.

Lisa Thimas:  Internal Communications

Coordinate communications with volunteers and members, including dissemination of new programs and discussion of issues, through weekly and monthly newsletters, mailings and phone calls as appropriate.
 

Prior to retiring in the wonderful world of Wellfleet in 2004, I enjoyed careers in the non-profit and private sectors, which at a glance are seemingly divergent, but in reality are very similar.  In the non-profit world I was responsible for raising millions of dollars annually from foundations and corporations to support biomedical research programs.  In the private sector, I ran the Americas division of a European electronics company with a particular interest in total quality management in the manufacturing and marketing environments.  The nonprofit world taught me the importance of fulfilling the needs of donors first.  The private sector taught me the importance of meeting the needs of the customers to keep them coming back for more. Whether donor or customer, my mission was to convince them to join us and stay with us.

With Nauset Neighbors I have found a delightful way to live with my personal passion:  the Golden Rule.   





Our Village at a Glance


Nauset Neighbors now has 159 members in 134 households.  They are being helped by 211 volunteers, about 60% of whom have been active within the last three months.  

The number of members has declined slightly while the number of volunteers has remained constant.  However, the number of requests for services has increased 15% in the last month.  We now have 25 people on the waiting list, which was empty six weeks ago.  We are actively seeking new volunteers to accommodate these future members.

We delivered about 172 services in the last four weeks, and over 500 services for the previous three months.  The total number of services in the past 52 weeks is 1743. 

Volunteers are still filling about 75% of all services via online signup, reducing the number of calls and emails that need to be sent out. Members are now requesting rides to medical appointments well in advance, which helps fill them online.  We have 184 future services, half of which already have volunteers assigned.


-Dick Elkin

 
 In This Issue

Village News

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Our Village at a Glance





 
Upcoming Events

Board of Directors Meeting

June 18         
 
Call Managers Meeting
June 19


 
 




Membership Renewal

















A non-profit, all volunteer organization
508-514-7067
info@nausetneighbors.org