Senior Connections Celebrates Volunteers, Birthdays

Senior Connections in Schulenburg recently celebrated the volunteers who are instrumental in day-to-day operations and who have assured Executive Director, Cindy Villarreal, that they “can handle it.” They have been phenomenal in keeping Senior Connections open for members.

Volunteers help keep the commitment and vow to keep the doors open for elders so they have a place to gather for fun and games, so they can share and break bread together, and so they have a safe place to go for their own well-being.

The volunteer team helps out by opening up, preparing the hospitality service and serving during the meal service as well. They also make sure that our Center tables and chairs are cleaned and sanitized, they sweep up, clean the kitchen and empty the trash each day. Julie Clements, Darleen Williams, Sharon Rodriguez, and Judy Hegemann have taken care of the daily tasks, from welcoming members as they arrive, to serving coffee and tea for their refreshment, then they start preparing for the meal service. This ranges from rolling napkins around flatware, to picking up the catered entrée, then serving the meal and cutting up the dessert and putting it on small plates before serving to everyone.

Darleen Williams has learned how to log the daily attendance in a computer so records are complete and accurate. This makes it easier to generate monthly attendance reports for board members. She also takes charge of rolling flatware, and assists with the meal service whenever she is needed.

Judy Hegemann has just joined the volunteer team a few months ago, but she has jumped right in, and she fits right in too. She has gotten into the flow of Senior Connections and has made a lot of new friends. The group welcomed her in, they have taught her how to play Mexican Train dominoes and now, she even invites the group over to her house on Fridays to play dominoes and she serves them a meal while they are there. She is a new transplant to Weimar, with her husband and son, and she has enjoyed making new friends while getting involved as a volunteer at the Center.

Julie Clements is one of the longest serving volunteers and has earned the title of a “trusted volunteer.” She is the head of the volunteer corps and was issued a key to the Center as she is the one who opens up every Monday and Wednesday. She gets the coffee, tea and ice ready for hospitality, picks up the catered entrée, and oversees the meal prep for each day. Julie is in regular communication with Cindy Villarreal, director, and lets her know exactly what is needed. Julie and her husband are enjoying life selling high end golf carts and they have a wonderful family network of grown children and many grandkids.

Sharon Rodriguez, was recruited by her good friend Julie Clements and she has totally fallen in love with the mission of Senior Connections. Both Julie and Sharon also volunteer together with the Meals on Wheels program and they are wonderful angels on earth for both organizations. Sharon is also involved with the youth program at the First Baptist Church in Schulenburg and is truly a godsend. She is dedicated to her husband, her grown children and loves attending her Grandson’s sporting activities.

Members come from Weimar, Schulenburg, Flatonia, La Grange, and the Hallettsville areas. Senior Connections is regularly serving 15-20 on Mondays, 20-25 on Wednesdays. A group of members meet at Judy’s house on Fridays and another group play dominoes at rotating member’s homes on some Sundays too. Between the Center and other venues, the center serves approximately 50 members a week, which adds up to about 200 units of services a month.

Another group of dedicated volunteers are the Bingo Callers. Each one of them gives one lunch hour per month to come to Senior Connections and call Bingo which gives them such joy. First Wednesday is sponsored by Fayette Savings Bank in Schulenburg, headed by Cheryl Brossmann, Mike Olle, and Mark Friedrich.

Senior Connections is a taxdeductible, 501(c)3 organization that legitimately conforms to law. Please be mindful that donations, whether monetary or in-kind, and all contributions are noted, reported and acknowledged, and we are governed by a local, volunteer led Board of Directors that provides oversight and leadership.

The Board of Directors consistently give their own time and resources to Senior Connections because they believe in the mission and the reason for the organization to exist. Board members include: Chip Bubela, David Brooks, Bob Stanzel, Glenda Stavinoha, Milton Koller, Shannon McBride, Linda Kobersky, Clarence Ahlschlager, Linda Streicher, La Keisha Moore and Jennifer Moring.

Senior members were elated to see Craig Moreau, from the Fayette County Office of Emergency Management, and also welcomed Marie Watts, from the Faison House in La Grange, as recent Lunch and Learn series speakers. The information they provided helps, from senior safety points to ponder, to hurricane preparedness, updates on COVID and then to learning more about local history and the efforts to preserve it going on right here.

In October, the center will welcome Susanna Mikulin from the Fayette County Community Foundation, Lynn Majek from Majek Winery in Moravia, Troy Clark who will speak on cyber safety for seniors, Janis Richardson from the South-Central Texas League of Women Voters and then Milton Koller, the Mayor of Weimar will finish out the month of October with Senior Connections on Oct. 31.

Make plans to join the center each Monday to learn more about what is going on around us. Everyone is welcome. Call (979) 743-3227 to count you in for the lunch. The monthly calendar is online at www.srconnections. org.