Have some time, but only once in a while?

Here is how you can help us! And you will be helping our residents, too.

Every day we do laundry here. Personal items for the residents, table cloths for the dining rooms, sheets, towels and blankets, and more. Our laundry workers start early morning and are out of here by 1:30. We could use an extra set of hands getting things folded after they come from the dryer. You won't be sorting or putting things in the washers, mostly just standing (and a thick cushion) and getting stuff done.

If you want to help, come on in. Tell the receptionist that you want to work in our laundry. She will get someone to escort you to the basement. Since you won't be having any direct contact with our residents, you won't need to do all the usual paper work. However, if you do want to spend time with the residents, you will need to complete some forms and have some orientation about working with elders.

This starts early, your best time to be here is between 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. How long will it take? Generally you will be done by 11:00 or noon. Some days are busier than others. If you have questions about this, or any volunteer opportunity, send an email.

Jim

jhronek@co.champaign.il.us

When I started this blog,

I promised our administrator that I would keep it relevant to what we do, how we do it, etc. I have good about doing that. And, mostly, I will continue to do that. However, I might sometimes go off on a bit of a tangent. This post just might be one of those tangents.

I really enjoy being the volunteer coordinator. In fact, I brag that I have the best job in the building! Generally I answer only to myself, and as you have been reading, I am a genuine person. If fact, I am the opitome of being Mr. Nice Guy!

However, nothing lasts forever and I will be retiring in January of next year. Yep, less than 200 days until I leave CCNH. They won't officially post a job opening until I give my formal 2-week notice in late December. However, if you would like to be considered for this position you just might want to come here and see what I do. I can spend lots of time with you as I explain the ins and outs of this position. Good things? Your own office (no sharing); you get to meet lots of caring people; you will be able to work limited hours (32 hours in five days). Bad things? The pay; dealing with family members who want to believe that this is a resort or something; and some of the co-workers don't have a great work ethic.

All jobs have goods and bads. I believe that this one has more goods! If you want to come in a learn about the postion, let me know. It will help if you get to be a known person here by volunteering a lot. You will become familiar with the residents, the staff and the volunteers who pass through this office.

Do you have that little bit of space in your brain that shows empathy and caring? Can you be organized? Are you willing to give more than what you get paid? Let me know!

Jim
jhronek@co.champaign.il.us

Enough already!!

I just went back an looked at some of my previous posts. I promise, no more entreaties for our landscape and/or bird situation.

I will, however, start a new crusade! We need a special volunteer. Please consider this if you can work independently and some hours that might be shorter one week and then longer the next week. It is not difficult and you have an opportunity to interact with some of our residents.

Here is some back story: whenever a new resident comes to the nursing home we need to make sure that clothing does not go astray. A resident who has been here awhile also needs to make sure that things don't end up in our lost area. To help combat that situation we press name labels on items.

We need someone who will come in and do that. It could be 15 minutes or it could take a couple of hours, one never knows how much there is to be done. We use a small heated press to affix the labels, that takes only a few seconds. However, we have lots and lots of things to do. Currently, we have one woman (in her 80s) come here on Monday and Thursday mornings. On Thursday, she has a helper. We really, really need someone to be here on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and even the weekends. We do laundry every day and there are always items that need to be dealt with.

Please, please consider helping with this project. You can start immediately. Nothing fancy to have happen first. Contact me today.

Jim
jhronek@co.champaign.il.us

True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it is not haphazard and superficial. It comes to see that an edifice that produces beggars needs restructuring. Martin Luther King

Summer has arrived in East Central Illinois!

At least, now it is official. For that past few months it has seemed like summer. Now that summer has arrived, the next thing we need is moisture. Speaking of moisture, we need someone who can help with watering plants on our property. Hook up the hose and water plants, trees, flowers, etc. In a few places, we don't have enough hose to reach from the faucet to the area needing water. I have been filling watering cans and toting them.

You might ask how long this opportunity will last - and that is a good question. It depends on the weather. If we get substantial rain, then the need is lessened. A good soaking is what the plants need and if the rain does not provide that, then the watering will take more time. You will be able to come in as your schedule permits and stay for as long as you feel it is appropriate.

Let me know if you can help with this.

Jim
jhronek@co.champaign.il.us

No man is a failure who is enjoying life.
William Feather

One of my volunteers, Connie, gave me a book a year ago and I keep it on my desk. There are many quotes in it that I use here and others places. Reflections on Life by Allen Klein is a great small book for those who might need a bit of inspiration.

Here is a good quote from one of the first pages:

Getting born is like being given a ticket to the theatrical event called life. It's like going to the theater. Now, all that ticket will get you, is through the door. It doesn't get you a good time and it doesn't get you a bad time. You go in and sit down and you either love the show or you don't. If you do, terrific. And if you don't - that's show business.

Stewart Emery, Actualizations

Do you have a 'favorite' quote? Let me know!

Jim
jhronek@co.champaign.il.us

Do you like to be outdoors?

For the past four years, I have been the person to take care of landscaping chores at the nursing home. I enjoy my time out there, I have few interruptions. However, I have discovered that it is more difficult to keep ahead of the weeding and watering part. I have tried to implement plantings of flowers and bushes and trees that need little maintenance, and I have done well that way. However, the recent dry weather (with an occasional spit of rain) and the weeds are trying my patience.

Please consider volunteering at Champaign County Nursing Home. It will take only one or two hours each week and those hours can happen as you have time and as the weather permits. If you don't know a lot, I can teach! However, I would like to have a long-term commitment, not just for a few weeks or months this year!

Think about what you can do to hadd to the quality of life (viewing beauty) of our residents!

Jim
jhronek@co.champaign.il.us

A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they will never sit in.
A Greek Proverb

Volunteering all over the state of Illinois.

I attended the East Central Illinois Volunteerism Conference this week and talked a bit with Scott McFarland. Scott is the Resources and Information Manager with the Serve Illinois Commission. He told me that their Web site shows more opportunites that there are volunteers and that he needs many more people to fill those open positions. These opportunites happen all over Illinois. Here is the link for that: http://www2.illinois.gov/serve/Pages/find.aspx If you want to volunteer, bookmark this site and look at it often and there are always changes.

Please consider volunteering, not just at CCNH, but anywhere in Illinois. It is the right thing to do!

Jim Hronek, Volunteer Coordinator
Champaign County Nursing Home

If we are facing in the right direction, all we have to do is keep on walking.
Buddhist proverb.

A good quotation:

The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity. Choosing responsibility over irresponsibility, ethics or convenience, and truth over popularity...these are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking ack, for there is never a wrong time to do the right thing. (Author unknown)

This is the way I try to lead my life. I cannot tell you how to do your life, but please consider what is related in this quotation.

You can ask any of my relatives and they will tell you that I always advocate that a person, "Do the right thing" or "It is the right thing to do."

Jim
jhronek@co.champaign.il.us