AARP Louisiana Participates in National Day of Service
By: Source: AARP.org Date Posted: 2004-07-01 00:00:00-04:00
AARP volunteers and staff spent the 2004 National Day of Service giving a face lift to the offices of the Greater New Orleans Volunteers of America, an AARP Faith in Action partner. AARP Louisiana donated time, paint, power scrubbers and flowers to help transform the building.
More than 500 AARP Louisiana state office staff, chapter members and volunteers conducted 57 community activities. Some chapters provided up to four different services on that day throughout their communities. Chapter 4550 in New Orleans, for example, participated in a neighborhood clean-up and made visits to Reality House and the Uptown Shepherd's Center, which provide adult day care for area seniors. The Heart of Metairie chapter coordinated visits to nursing home facilities and reported 573 volunteer hours on May 13.
Chapter 3086 in Mandeville donated items such as food, personal items, books and telephone cards that will be shipped to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan on an ongoing, weekly basis. The effort is called "Operation We Care" and was coordinated with the parish of Our Lady of the Lake.
Additionally, Ray Owens, state coordinator, Driver Safety, reports that 567 people were served in 27 Driver Safety classes. AARP is working with State Representative Kenneth L. Odinet (D-Arabi) on legislation to allow older adults who complete a driver's safety course to be eligible for discounted insurance rates for a period of three years. Twenty volunteers from Chapter 3926 visited Joseph Davies Elementary School in Meraux, which was conducting their spring fundraiser, and staffed the food and drink booths.
"We had a very successful day in the name of serving our community," said Daryl Blacher, director of community service for AARP Louisiana. "More and more reports from chapters are trickling in regarding their community work on this day. Our volunteers really take to heart the credo to serve, and not be served."
AARP thanks all who participated in this year's National Day of Service.
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