Seniors on a Mission

Consortium partners already participate in an enormous numbers of service opportunities and activities in the Lancaster area. Our emphasis here is on intergenerational, inter-institutional projects in which retirees work with college and university students in service to the larger community. The project highlighted here was initiated by Willow Valley residents prior to the formal organization of the consortium as a model of one type of service opportunity which could benefit from both the fresh ideas and energy of students and the experiences and skills of retirees Our intent is to extend this kind of work to other libraries for children and young people in Lancaster County.

In anticipation of the kinds of activities that might be generated by The Life of the Mind Consortium, some Willow Valley residents decided to get started with their own service project in the community. Our concern for children and libraries led us to ask Sandra Dinoff, Director of the Strasburg-Heisler Public Library how we might help improve the children's room there. Soon this group became known as the "Seniors on a Mission."

This project began with four or five people; but as other residents heard about it, they wanted to be involved. Ultimately ten or twelve volunteers worked on library tasks, and several others contributed to the fund for materials.

A Willow Valley resident and her two senior assistants agreed to do the crafts program associated with the summer reading program at the library. Children's books on the theme "Paws, Claws, Scales and Tales" were shared at the beginning of each of four sessions quickly dubbed "The Glue, Glitter and Glitz Series." Children made animal placemats, visors, masks, and doorknob hangers, all with more glitter and sequins than the Willow Valley seniors had see - or worn - in a long time -- but the children sparkled!.

Willow Valley volunteers:

--purchased wood ; built five shelf-size divided books bins for picture books; purchased sign holders to attach to the bins to identify the books shelved there; and produced a colorful alphabet to be used for signage.

--designed and purchased the wood and "exotic bloom" paint to create a large, two-sided hippopotamus with space for children's book storage within.

--purchased fabric to re-cover existing torn and soiled cushions in the children's area.

--contributed two beanbag chairs to the children's area and three new floor cushions.

--presented a series of story and craft programs as part of the library's summer reading program and are compiling a list of volunteers for similar activities for the future.

--purchased and installed new grids to improve lighting in the entire library.

--contributed new children's books to the collection.

Assessment

This project was exciting and beneficial, both for Willow Valley residents and for the library. Ultimately, it benefits the children of our community. Although Willow Valley residents were able to accomplish a great deal in less than a month and will continue to work with this library, we are aware of how much richer such projects will be when we can enlist the involvement of students and faculty from Consortium partners.

Award

Sandy Dinoff, Director of the Library, contacted The New Era newspaper which published an article and photo of “Happy Hippo” with Sandy and a few of the seniors who participated in the project. Subsequently the “Seniors on a Mission” received the Lancaster New Era Red Rose Award.