Jerry Roberts began visiting Elmer Feifarek at his home in Grand Chute as a volunteer for ElderMatch Fox Cities, but through the years, he has become part of the family. Jeanette Feifarek, Elmer’s daughter, moved from her home in Madison last year to be his primary caregiver. She explains that despite her father’s progressive vascular […]
Living in isolation can be deadly. Research has linked social isolation and loneliness to higher risks for a variety of physical and mental conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and even death, according to the National Institute on Aging. To reduce isolation […]
Paul Anderson is a big-picture guy, while his wife, Carol, is detail-oriented, but both are passionate about education and have spent nearly the last two decades supporting Horizons Elementary School in Appleton. After teaching at Johnston Elementary School for 30 years, Paul retired in 2000 and began tutoring first-graders at Horizons in United for Reading […]
Appleton Area School District has been refining and improving its reading and math tutoring programs for more than two decades, but there is one thing that hasn’t changed – volunteers remain the heart and soul of the programs. Volunteer tutors who work with first-graders in the United for Reading Success (UFRS) program support their efforts […]
Most folks agree that exercise is healthy. According to the National Institute for Aging, exercise is good for people of any age and can ease symptoms of many chronic conditions. The Aging & Disability Resource Center of Calumet, Outagamie and Waupaca counties reports that only 20 percent of your health is determined by what happens […]
Cheryl Reissmann has been involved with the StrongWomen program since 2009, when she attended a class at the former Thompson Community Center. “The side-leg raise just killed me,” she said. “And I asked myself, ‘Why am I doing this?’” Because her leg muscles were so weak, she got leg cramps from doing the exercise. But […]
Bev School retired twice. The former medical transcriptionist left the field about four years ago and then in 2018. But she did not retire from being active in the community. When she became aware that the Outagamie County Nutrition Program needed help with its meal service program at Oneida Heights Apartments, she answered the call. […]
The Outagamie County Nutrition Program provides approximately 40,000 to 50,000 nutritious meals a year, along with socialization opportunities, for persons 60 years and older or for people with disabilities, at congregate meal sites throughout Outagamie County. The congregate meal sites are in Hortonville, Seymour, Kaukauna, and two meal sites in Appleton. In addition to meal […]
Keeping active is in Keith Tomlinson’s DNA. The 75 year-old retired minister and chaplain has completed nine marathons and 11 half-marathons. Even after back surgery two years ago, he crossed the finish line of one more marathon. He runs in pain, but says the pain isn’t any worse when he is running than when he […]
Do you enjoy working in the garden, or on a farm? If so, Riverview Gardens may be the perfect volunteer opportunity for you. They always are looking for community volunteers to help with a variety of tasks, including seeding, watering, transplanting, harvesting, cleaning and packaging produce. Riverview Gardens, at 242 W. Seymour St., is […]