Category Archives for Voluntarism

Holiday event brings volunteer opportunities, cheer to seniors

Published in The Pawtucket Times on December 3, 2001

Jane Edwards plays the lead role of the set designer and seamstress.  Pawtucket residents Velma Jacks, Rita Kenney Anne Curry and Loraine Farley work as painters.  Bill Curry cuts out wooden signs and figures of Santa Claus, elves and reindeer.  Over the last couple of months, these six retirees have worked vey closely with 14 members of Winter Wonderland committee and others to gear up for the upcoming weekend’s kick-off of Pawtucket’s third annual Winter Wonderland Festival.

The holiday festival runs for three consecutive December weekends, on Saturdays and Sundays from 4 to 8 p.m., at Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket.  The wildly successful Pawtucket festival that has attracted thousands to the Pawtucket’s largest park was first held in December 1999.  The year before, a visit in December 1998 to a California’s city’s annual holiday display was all it took to lifelong Pawtucket resident Janice McHale thinking about creating a similar event in Pawtucket.

The 61 year old, who had worked the past 38 years at Blackstone Valley Electric, then the past five years at its parent EUA Service Corp in West Bridgewater, remembered holiday displays at Slater Park in the early 1960s.  After a while, these displays just disappeared, she said.

Coming back to Pawtucket, McHale had made up her mind to bring back holiday displays to Slater Park.  “It could easily be done here in Pawtucket, and it would look good, too.” she quipped.

In spring 1999, a quick visit where she pitched her idea to Pawtucket Mayor James E. Doyle and Jack Carney, the city’s Public Works Director, resulted in the approval of her pet project.  City Council President John Barry III, along with City Councilors Don Grebien and Raymond “Chip” Hoyas, jumped on board too, strongly supporting McHale’s vision, a Winter Wonderland festival in Pawtucket.

While not committing coty funds, Doyle pledged in-kind support.  This assistance would come in the form of providing manpower and technical expertise.  The city’s project engineer, the late Frank Rendine, was sought out to design 18 two-story Victorian houses.  Staff in the Mayor’s Office and Department of Planning and Redevelopment would be charged with publicity, bookkeeping and raising funds.  Finally, Public Works and Parks and Recreation would set up the small Victorian Village and 100 Christmas trees and bring electricitiy to the site.

Scores of volunteer carpenters and painters from the community would ultimately build the huge three-dimensional plywood structures.  Most importantly, local businesses brought funding to the project, providing the seed money to begin the new endeavor.

Now in its third year, the Winter Wonderland Committee has evolved into a nonprofit corporation, headed by McHale, who is now retired.  The City of Pawtucket continues to be a major supporter of the holiday festival .  And Winter Wonderland continues to get bigger and better, McHale tell All About Seniors.

“This year you can see 200 brightly lighted Christmas trees, and enjoy more performers and vendors too”, said the festival organizer.

Like previous years, McHale notes that those coming to Winter Wonderland can still leisurely stroll through the Victorian Village, surrounded by hundreds of Christmas trees, and be entertained by carolers, bell ringers, clowns, puppeteers and musicians.  A large heated tend will again be the site for the festival’s entertainment.  Youngers can visit Santa Claus, and even take a ride on a large hay wagon, the popular R&D express train, or the carousel.  Of course, hot chocolate, hot cider and delicious food will be available in a food court.

Pawtucket resident Rita Kenney, who is in her 70s, has toiled tirelessly for months to prepare for the upcoming holiday festival’s opening.  The retired teacher and school administrator believes that the City’s Winter Wonderland festival has brought back some of the Christmas spirit to Slater Park.

Being a senior volunteer has its perks, Kenney says.  “You get to work with all ages and the experiences really reconnect you back to the community.”

To  become a volunteer or sponsor of the Winter Wonderland or to obtain a schedule of events call 726-3185.

Seniors Making Big Contribution to City’s Winter Wonderland Festival

Published in Pawtucket Times on November 26, 2001

Pawtucket residents Velma Jacks, Rita Kenny, Anne Curry and Loraine Farley work as painters. Bill Curry cuts out wooden signs and figures of Santa Claus, elves and reindeer. Over the last couple of months these five retirees have worked with 14 members of the Winter Wonderland Committee and others to gear up for the upcoming weekend’s kick off of the Pawtucket’s 3rd Annual Winter Wonderland Festival.

The holiday festival runs three consecutive December weekends on Saturdays and Sundays, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at Slater Memorial Park in Pawtucket.

The wildly successful Pawtucket festival that has attracted thousands into the Pawtucket’s largest park was first held in December 1999.

The year before, a visit in December 1998 to a California city’s annual holiday display was all it took to get life-long Pawtucket resident Janice McHale thinking about creating a similar event in Pawtucket. The 61-year-old, who had worked the past 38 years at Blackstone Valley Electric then the past five years at its parent, EUA Service Corp. in West Bridgewater, remembered holiday displays at Slater Park in the early 1960s. After a while, these displays just disappeared, she said.

Coming back to Pawtucket, McHale had made up her mind to bring back holiday displays to Slater Park. “It could easily be done in Pawtucket and it  would look good, too,” she quipped.

In Spring 1999, a quick visit to pitch her idea to Pawtucket Mayor James E. Doyle and Jack Carney, the City’s Public Works Director, resulted in the approval for her pet project. City Council President John Barry, III, along with City Councilors Don Grebien and Raymond “Chip” Hoyas jumped on board, too, strongly supporting McHale’s vision, a Winter Wonderland festival in Pawtucket.

While not committee city funds, Mayor Doyle pledged in-kind support. This assistance would come in the form of providing manpower and technical expertise. The City’s project engineer, the late Frank Rendine, was sought out to design eighteen two-story Victorian houses. Staff in the Mayors Office and Department of Planning and Redevelopment would be charged with publicity, bookkeeping and raising funds.

Finally, the Pawtucket Works and Recreation would setup the small Victorian Village and 100 Christmas trees and bring electricity to the site. Scores of volunteer carpenters and painters from the community would ultimately build the huge three dimensional plywood structures.

Most important, local businesses brought funding to the project, providing the seed money to begin the new endeavor.

Now in its third year, the Winter Wonderland Committee has evolved into a nonprofit corporation, headed by McHale, who is now retired.

The City of Pawtucket continues to be supportive of the holiday festival. And Winter Wonderland continues to get bigger and better. McHale tells All About Seniors: “This year you can see 200 brightly lighted Christmas trees, enjoy more performers and vendors, too,” adds the festival organizer.

Like previous years, McHale notes that those coming to Winter Wonderland can still leisurely stroll through the Victorian Village, surrounded by hundreds of Christmas trees, and entertained by bell ringers, clowns, puppeteers and musicians.

A large heated tent will again be set up to house the festival’s entertainment. Youngsters can visit Santa Claus, and even take a ride on a large hay wagon, the popular R&D express train, or the carousel.

Of course, hot chocolate, hot cider and delicious food will be available at the food court.

Pawtucket resident Rita Kenny, who is in her seventies, has toiled tirelessly for months to prepare for the upcoming holiday festival’s Dec. 1 opening. The retired teacher and school administrator believes that the City’s Winter Wonderland festival has brought back some of the Christmas spirit to Slater Park.

Being a senior volunteer has its perks, says Kenney. “You get to work with all ages and the experiences really reconnects you back to the community,” she notes.

The Best of…RSVP Provides Volunteer Opportunities Statewide

Published July  2, 2001, Pawtucket Times

A little bit of leisure activity, combined with a part-time job, with a little volunteering are just the right mix of ingredients to make Janet Catineault’s retirement years fulfilling.

At age 68, Catineault, who formerly was employed by Fuller Box Company in Central Falls and International Packaging in Pawtucket, now works as a part-time receptionist at the City ofPawtucket’sLeonMathieuSeniorCenter.  The semi-retired Pawtucket resident has joined 4,500 senior volunteers in Rhode Island who give time to the Retired Senior Volunteer Program.  This federally funded program, authorized by Congress in 1971, helps people age 55 and older put their skills and live experience to work in their communities.  RSVP volunteers serve in a wide variety of organizations ranging from hospitals and nursing homes, youth recreational centers to local police stations, historic sites to education facilities.

Serving as an RSVP volunteer at the Leon Mathieu Senior Center, Catineault has taken on the role of a friendly visitor an elderly woman.  “I took her out to visit different nursing homes,” said the RSVP volunteer, noting that a tour of these facilities allowed her older companion to have a choice in the selection of a facility.   Additionally, Catineault has served meals at the Pawtucket senior center and has assisted another homebound elderly person with shopping, banking, and housework.

“I volunteer with RSVP because I enjoy helping people out,” Catineault tells The Times.  “I thought about doing this for years and now that I have a few extra hours, I do it.  When we visit seniors it gives them something to look forward to, a little lift for the day and makes them feel important,” she said.

At the RSVP program, sponsored by Blackstone Valley Community Action Program (BVCAP), there are 43 volunteer sites throughout Pawtucket,Central Falls, Lincoln and Cumberland, noted Caleb Petrin, the nonprofit community action program’s RSVP Director.

According to Petrin, 183 seniors age 55 and over have signed up to give their time at 43 volunteer sites throughout Pawtucket,Central Falls,LincolnandCumberland.  These seniors put in approximately 6,000 volunteer hours in nursing homes, churches, senior centers, meal sites, historic sites, like Slater Mill, hospitals, along with assisting in educational outreach initiatives, tutoring and mentoring.

From his office at BVCAP, Petrin along with a part-time staffer determine community needs, design programs, and finally recruit and place RSVP volunteers.  “Our RSVP program is specifically designed to get seniors to become more involved and to have a stake in their community,” he said, noting that the volunteers bring their life experiences and skills to improve the quality of life at the volunteer sites.

Senior RSVP volunteers are recognized in a newsletter and at an annual recognition dinner, Petrin noted, adding that the event serves as a way for volunteers to share with each other their positive volunteer experiences.

“One of our newest volunteer stations is atPawtucket’s Slater Mill Historic Site,” Petrin said.  “Now we have two RSVP volunteers who provide information about the historic mill  to visitors. These positions are going to be evolving from providing information into helping with programming and interpretation,” he added.

Vin Marzullo, Rhode Island Director of the Corporation for National Service, an independent federal agency responsible for overseeing the nation’s domestic volunteer programs and RSVP states that other RSVP offices are located in Cranston, East Providence, South Kingston, Providence, Kent County and Woonsocket.

Marzullo stated that volunteer service time is valued at $ 13 per hour.  Thus, he calculates that volunteer service provided by 4,500 Rhode Island RSVP volunteers is valued at $6.5 million.

RSVP volunteers are playing a tremendous community problem-solving role.   “The reality is our seniors are experienced, knowledgeable of the community and they’ve addressed so many life challenges and situations.  They can help so many people in need if they are given the opportunity, Marzullo said.

Marzullo firmly believes that RSVP allows older Americans to be valued and continue their contributions to their communities.

Herbert P. Weiss is a Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based free lance writer covering aging, medical and health care issues.  This article was published in July 2, 2001 in the Pawtucket Times. He can be reached at hweiss@aol.com