The University of Maine Center on Aging has received an AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP grant to support 119 volunteers serving in Hancock, Penobscot, Piscataquis and Washington counties, where the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) program has provided service opportunities for people ages 55 and older since 2003.
The AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP program was awarded $99,202 for the first year of a six-year funding cycle. Every six years, RSVP programs undergo a competitive grant process. This new award permits the UMaine Center on Aging to continue to oversee RSVP under the leadership of its longtime director Paula Burnett.
âWinning the 2021 Americorps Seniors RSVP Competition Award was terrific news,â says Center on Aging director Lenard Kaye. âIt underscores the University of Maine Center on Aging’s long-term commitment to promoting the state’s health and well-being by creating a critical vehicle through which older Mainers can share their wisdom and expertise t
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BUSINESS MONDAY: One mile at a time
Many groups are working together for better transportation options in and to the Berkshires.
It’s no secret that it can be challenging to get to, and around, the Berkshires.
If you don’t own a car, getting from Point A to Point B can be time-consuming. Agencies like Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA), the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), and local Councils on Aging help plug some of these gaps, but the region’s size and geography continue to present obstacles.
Transportation into and out of the Berkshires is even more lacking. The region recently lost daily rail service to Boston and Albany when Amtrak changed the schedule of the Lake Shore Limited train to a tri-weekly service. Although Berkshire residents still enjoy bus service, bus and rail service to the area is often slower than driving yourself, and can be unreliable. Despite the less-than-rosy current picture, recent years have seen forward progress and we have go
Correspondent
Correspondent photo / Sean Barron
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Leah Sakacs, president of the League of Women Voters of Greater Youngstown and coordinator of a program for senior citizens, holds a plaque she was awarded in 2016 while a student at California State University at Long Beach. She won the award for her contributions to several on-campus and community organizations.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is one of a series of Saturday profiles of area residents and their stories. To suggest a profile, contact features editor Burton Cole at bcole@tribtoday.com or metro editor Marly Reichert at mreichert@tribtoday.com.
AUSTINTOWN At first glance, it may seem like a stretch to imagine how Leah Sakacs went from receiving a bachelor’s degree at Youngstown State University in criminal justice and anthropology followed by a master’s degree in applied anthropology to having volunteerism as her life’s centerpiece.
Illinois Senator Spreading Love to Seniors
Unmute
Carterville (WSIL) Illinois Senator Dale Fowler (R-Harrisburg) and volunteers are looking to spread some love this Valentine s Day to those isolated in senior care facilities.
Fowler partnered with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Southern Illinois to deliver more than 9,000 cards to 47 area nursing homes and assisted living centers.
Organizers said, showing seniors you care, means the world to them. Its great to have family outreach, you know, to you at all times but its also nice to see little cards or little people saying, hey we appreciate you, we recognize that you re here, and just put a smile on their face any chance we can. said Candi Wallis, Project Director of RSVP of SI.