This Month’s Valued Volunteer
Valued Volunteers Joyce Graff and Betty Lew are the dynamic duo behind the Brookline Senior Center’s weekly quilting group, the Brookline Bees.
Before volunteering at the Brookline Center, Joyce spent 50 years advocating for patients and families with rare diseases, including founding the non-profit VHL Alliance (Von Hippel–Lindau disease). Through her childhood and her advocacy career, quilting was always her refuge. “I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. Quilting nourishes me and lights me up,” she says. When the group’s former leader stepped down, Joyce was invited to take the helm.
After retiring from her career as an administrative assistant, Betty was looking for opportunities to fill her time. She hadn’t sewn in more than 25 years, but when she saw the Brookline Bees were making hot pads, she decided to give it a try. “Everyone was so welcoming, friendly, and helpful. I knew after the first class that I would be continuing,” she recalls.
Together, Joyce and Betty make a great team. “Whatever Joyce needs me to do, I will. She is very patient and I have learned so much from her,” says Betty. Joyce returns the compliment, “What I love about Betty is that she’s a very good coach and my organizer-in-chief!” Along with expert quilter Jude Bennett, they lead a group that is social, educational, and productive. Each year, the Brookline Bees raffle off a quilt made by all participants, and Joyce also leads popular mending workshops.
When the pandemic hit in 2020, the Bees quickly moved their sessions to Zoom. “People really needed the socialization at that time,” says Joyce. The recorded sessions are still available online through Brookline Senior Center YouTube channel as well as the Brookline Interactive Group for anyone who wants to learn.
In addition to their volunteer work at the Brookline Senior Center, Joyce has served as Rotary Club District Governor, while Betty volunteers at her church and crochets blankets for refugees and children in foster care
If you have a special interest area or expertise that you would like to share, please reach out to Valerie Graf, the Volunteer Coordinator, at 617‐730‐2743 or vgraf@brooklinema.gov and learn about volunteer opportunities at the Brookline Senior Center.
Valued Volunteers
We are proud to introduce our newly published booklet, Valued Volunteers of the Brookline Senior Center. This publication highlights nearly a decade of our amazing volunteers, a sampling of hundreds of our volunteers, both past and present. You can stop by the Brookline Senior Center to get your copy. If you know someone who should be featured for our ongoing Valued Volunteer articles, please reach out to Valerie Graf, Volunteer Coordinator, at vgraf@brooklinema.gov or 617-730-2743.
Visiting Volunteers
Are you interested in weekly social visits with seniors in their home? Volunteers are matched with seniors in the community for weekly friendly visits to help with social isolation common for so many homebound seniors. Volunteers will receive initial training and ongoing support from a Brookline Senior Center Social Worker. Please reach out with our Volunteer Coordinator, Valerie Graf, at vgraf@brooklinema.gov or 617-730-2743.
If you or a family member could benefit from a weekly social visit, please reach out to our Social Worker, Sharon Sandalow, at ssandalow@brooklinema.gov or 617-730-2769.
Click here to read more about the Visiting Volunteer program.
S.H.O.P (Students Helping Older People)
The S.H.O.P. (Students Helping Older People) Program, a collaboration between the Brookline Senior Center and the Brookline High School (BHS), has been a community service club at BHS for over 25 years. Students are paired with seniors to assist with grocery shopping throughout the school year. In addition to providing practical support for seniors, this program also offers high school students valuable life skills. Not only do they hone their grocery shopping skills, it creates opportunities for students and seniors to exchange stories and life experiences, fostering rich intergenerational conversations. These connections often evolve into meaningful, long-lasting relationships, benefiting both the students and seniors involved.
Anne Mogel, a BHS junior and one of this year’s SHOP Student Leaders says, “I’ve had a great experience participating in SHOP. I have been able to form a relationship with the senior I’m shopping for, as well as experience what it’s like to do hands-on volunteering, where I can see my impact up close. I shop for my senior every weekend, and it has become woven into my weekly routine. I’m looking forward to continuing my shopping this year, and furthering my experience!”
Currently serving approximately 30 Brookline seniors, the SHOP program gets high marks from the seniors involved. One senior couldn’t say enough positive things about the two students with whom she has been paired. She noted that “It’s the highlight of my week!” Another senior reflected that “the student’s cheery demeanor is a gift in itself. The program incorporates young people to help older people like me. It’s beneficial for everyone involved. Win Win!”
This program typically runs during the school calendar year, and resumes each fall. If you are in need of a shopper during the summer months, please contact Volunteer Coordinator, Valerie Graf, at 617‐730‐2743 or email her at vgraf@brooklinema.gov, to inquire about the SHOP waitlist and summer options.
CLICK HERE to watch a video to learn more about the S.H.O.P program and how it benefits both students and seniors.
Retirement Engagement Alternatives Program (REAP)
The REAP program is designed for Brookline residents aged 60 and older who wish to remain engaged and active in the community while in retirement or partial retirement. Limited additional program opportunities may also be available for individuals aged 55-60. The goal of this program is to enhance the retirement experience by connecting participants with either part-time paid or volunteer work in the community or at the Brookline Senior Center (BSC).
To enroll or for more information, call 617-730-2767 or email Vivian Williams at vwilliams@brooklinema.gov.at vwilliams@brooklinema.gov.
Thinking of Volunteering?
If you have a special interest area or expertise that you would like to share with the Senior Center, please reach out to Valerie Graf, the Volunteer Coordinator, at 617-730-2743 or vgraf@brooklinema.gov to learn more about creating and facilitating a new program at the Senior Center.
Other services
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