News & Events

INTERAC VOLUNTEERS SPRUCE UP HOMES OF OLDER RESIDENTS
Last Saturday was a glorious spring day – especially for 21 older residents of Roxborough and adjacent neighborhoods. They were treated to visits by teams of volunteers eager to tackle spring-cleaning chores at their homes.

The workday was organized by the Interac Center for Older Adults to further its Neighbor to Neighbor program, an initiative under which community volunteers offer ongoing free services to older homeowners and renters.  The goal is to help people remain secure and independent in their homes, especially where they may have few supports.

Saturday’s volunteers – 28 in all, and aged 15 to 79 – cut through assorted tasks on the clients’ wish lists. They pruned and sawed. They weeded and raked. They filled gopher holes. They removed storm windows. They changed smoke detector batteries. They tilled flower beds and planted bulbs. They removed trash and debris. They scraped and painted.

In return, many of them got glasses of lemonade and gushes of thanks.
“Oh, this is fabulous!” said one client, applauding like a cheerleader as three volunteers flipped her mattress in her Andorra home.

When the volunteers went outside to rake and drag away a mound of leaves, the 71-year-old widow sat in her kitchen and explained, “I live alone now. How could I turn the mattress by myself? How could I do all this work? This is so appreciated.”   

James Ballengee, director of service learning at William Penn Charter School, drove a vanful of eight students to the Interac Center for the workday.

“The kids were really energized,” he said afterwards. “One of the women gave them all big hugs, which they really enjoyed. They usually do tutoring [for their service projects], but I think the kids love to use their hands.”

Penn Charter’s contingent was matched by Villanova University – which had eight students turn out despite impending final exams. Villanova also had a robust turnout of volunteers for a winter-weatherization day that the Interac Center organized for older homeowners in December.

The spring-cleaning workday was supported locally by food and supplies from Manhattan Bagels in Roxborough, Wawa on Belmont Avenue, and Ricklin’s Hardware in Narberth.

In coming months, the Interac Center will build its Neighbor to Neighbor project with volunteer services such as light chores, errands, rides, and regular “friendly calls.” This project is helped with funding from the Chestnut Hill Health Care Foundation.  To register for Neighbor to Neighbor services, or to join the volunteer team, call the Interac Center at 215-487-1750.

Volunteers are integral to Interac Center and to the entire agency, contributing well over 3,000 hours of their time annually. To honor that effort, Interac held its annual volunteer recognition banquet May 2 at Keenan’s Valley View Inn. The 90 volunteers in attendance were feted with dinner, gifts, and music by a jazz combo.