PREBLE COUNTY — The Preble County Council on Aging has several great opportunities for seniors.
PCCOA Volunteer of the Year
In years past, the staff at the PCCOA honors its volunteers during April with a very special event, including dinner and an awards ceremony. This year we will honor our volunteers for 2020 and feature a Volunteer of the Year, but in a different way. With social distancing restrictions still in place, our staff will be honoring our volunteers with a “drive through” event. Each volunteer will drive through and pick up a hot meal and a goodie-box. I spoke with Stacey Fullmer, Senior Center Services Manager, about the 2019 Volunteer of the Year.
“Carol Sears was chosen as the 2019 Volunteer of the Year. Carol helped us in packing the cold part of our home delivered meals once a week and she also was a hostess once a week in our Decade’s Diner,” Fullmer said. “Carol would easily give any amount of time to the senior center that was needed. On really busy days, she would stay after in both positions. Carol has been volunteering for us since 2016 and we appreciate it so much.”
I also asked Stacey how the volunteers helped in 2020 since the senior center was closed to the public.
“The volunteers of 2020 helped us out mainly by helping deliver the seven-day meal bags once a week,” she said. “They would follow the home delivery meal driver on their route and provide that extra space needed due to the driver already delivering a hot meal, cold meal, and a cold bag containing milk, fruit, butter, bread and juice.”
Sponsors for our Drive Thru Thursdays also volunteer their time and provide the treats. We would like to thank them for spending time with us each Thursday! The sponsors for 2020 included: Kimball Plumbing, United Healthcare, Vancrest of Eaton, Arbor Trace Richmond IN, Brookhaven, Crossroads Hospice, Knolls of Oxford, The Greenbriar, SKLD of New Lebanon, and Dayton City Hospice.
Please check out our Facebook page for all the photos from the volunteer drive thru event on Tuesday, April 20, and the announcement of the 2020 Volunteer of the Year! https://www.facebook.com/preblecountycouncilonaging/.
Tornado Safety
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), there is no guaranteed safety during a tornado. Even the possibility of a tornado must be taken seriously. Although the most violent tornadoes can level and blow away almost any house and those within it, extremely violent EF5 tornadoes (those with wind speeds of 200 mph or more) are rare. Most tornadoes are much weaker. You can survive a tornado if you follow safety precautions. Here are three important tips to help keep you and your family safe.
Be sure you and your loved ones know what makes a safe shelter.
Tip 1: Be prepared.
The best way to stay safe during a tornado is to be prepared with the following items:
Fresh batteries and a battery-operated TV, radio, or internet-enabled device to listen to the latest emergency weather information.
A tornado emergency plan including access to a safe shelter for yourself, your family, people with special needs, and your pets.
An emergency kit (including water, non-perishable food, and medication).
A list of important information, including telephone numbers.
Be sure your children know what a tornado is, what tornado watches and warnings are, what county or parish they live in (warnings are typically issued by county or parish), and what makes a location a safe shelter, whether at home or at school.
Tip 2: Stay aware of weather conditions.
To protect yourself and your family from harm during a tornado, pay close attention to changing weather conditions in your area. If you know thunderstorms are expected, stay tuned to local radio and TV stations or an NOAA weather radio for further weather information. Some tornadoes strike rapidly without time for a tornado warning. The following weather signs may mean that a tornado is approaching: a dark or green-colored sky, a large, dark, low-lying cloud, large hail, or a loud roar that sounds like a freight train.
If you notice any of these conditions, take cover immediately, and keep tuned to local radio and TV stations or to a NOAA weather radio or check the internet.
Tip 3: Know where to shelter.
Falling and flying debris causes most deaths and injuries during a tornado. Although there is no completely safe place during a tornado, some locations are much safer than others.
Go to the basement or an inside room without windows on the lowest floor (bathroom, closet, center hallway).
If possible, avoid sheltering in a room with windows.
For added protection get under something sturdy (a heavy table or workbench). Cover your body with a blanket, sleeping bag or mattress. Protect your head with anything available.
Do not stay in a mobile home.
If you are outside or in a mobile home, find a nearby building preferably with a basement. If you are in a car, do not try to outrun a tornado but instead find the nearest sturdy building.
No one can know a tornado’s strength before it touches down, so keep up with local weather information, especially when thunderstorms are forecast. Prepare your home and family for the possibility of a tornado. Moving to shelter quickly is easier when everyone knows where to go, whether in your home or outdoors. Following these tips will give you the best chance for staying safe in a tornado.
For more information, please visit www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/tornadoes/.
Sponsor-a-Senior – Meals on Wheels
You can make a difference in a senior’s life by donating just $12.50 a week. That’s $2.50 per day; $50 a month or $600 a year. Any amount will help. Your donation provides so much more than a hot, nutritious meal. You help provide a visit by one of our trained drivers to bring not only a meal, but a wellness check, a smile and conversation, and help with tasks such as bringing in the mail. Our drivers look forward to checking on his/her seniors each week day and the seniors look forward to seeing our drivers. In fact, if the weather is bad, some of our seniors call in to make sure the drivers are going to be ok. No amount is too small. Please consider making a donation by calling (937) 456-4947.
Online Zoom Classes
Spring is here! Get up and move with Maria and Holly as they guide you through super fun classes from chair yoga to belly dancing! Dust off your dancin’ shoes! We’ve added a virtual dance party too! Call (937) 456-4947 for more information.
Drive Thru Thursdays
As if Drive Thru Thursdays! couldn’t get any better, guess what? It has! Our Drive Thru Crew loves music and we now have “Rockin’ & Rollin’ at the Drive Thru!” As you drive through to pick up your treat, you too can move and groove with us all in the comfort of your vehicle! From Oldies to Goodies, Big Band and Country, like the treat, we never know what the DJ will be playing for us!
Drive Thru Thursdays happens each Thursday between 2-3 PM. Sponsoring the event is easy and costs you nothing but the price of the treats. For all of the details, please contact Stacey Fullmer at [email protected].
Big announcement coming!
Get ready for a members-only announcement coming soon with exciting information! Not a member? Call (937) 456-4947 to join! Only $10 a year and as a member you get all the information first!
To stay up to date on all of our activities, trips and senior news sign up to receive our bi-monthly newsletter the “Senior Scene.” Membership at the Senior Center is $10 a year. In addition to other benefits, members automatically receive our bi-monthly “Senior Scene” newsletter which features all our latest news and activities, additional benefits are discounts on trips and select activities. Like our Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/preblecountycouncilonaging/ or give us a call at 937-456-4947. Visit our website at www.PrebleSeniorCenter.org.
