WHAT'S NEW AT GOOD SHEPHERD:

JULY 6, 2009:  OFFICES CLOSED FOR INDEPENDENCE DAY

JULY 23, 2009:  VOLUNTEER TRAINING, 2 - 4 PM, at the main office of Good Shepherd Caregivers, 101 South Princess Street, Shepherdstown, WV.  Light refreshments will be served.

Good Shepherd volunteers provide transportation to medical and other appointments; make friendly visits and reassurance phone calls; do household chores, light housework, yard work, and fix-it projects; and, in general, provide neighborly assistance that helps people live independently.  Volunteers also help at our office in Shepherdstown.  Good Shepherd is not affiliated with any particular faith community or religion in its provision of services.

Volunteers give as little or as much time as they wish.  There is no age limit on volunteering for Good Shepherd Caregivers.  We encourage young people, families, and civic and church groups to volunteer, as well as individuals of any age.

For more information, or to register for the training, please call volunteer coordinator Kelly Duncan at (304) 876-3325, or email her at kduncan@gsivc.org.  If you're interested but can't attend the training, we'll be glad to make other arrangements for you.

HEALTH & SAFETY FOR SENIORS & DISABLED ADULTS

Good Shepherd Caregivers, in partnership with several other area agencies, is planning a series of Taking Charge...And Beyond classes.  These classes will help seniors and disabled adults in Jefferson County take charge of their health and well-being.  The classes will address areas such as nutrition, exercise, preventing falls, and keeping the mind active.  We also have volunteers who can transport some of the attendees to the classes.  A pilot series of classes will be offered in both Shepherdstown and Bolivar.  Later, we hope to expand to other locations in Jefferson County.

In conjunction with this program, we can arrange for free home safety evaluations from the West Virginia Center for Excellence in Disabilities.  The Center will donate funds for materials for some of the recommended repairs, and Good Shepherd Caregivers will provide volunteer labor. 

For more information or to sign up for the Taking Charge...And Beyond classes, please call Kelly Duncan at (304) 876-3325.

VOLUNTEER OFFICE HELP NEEDED

Can you help?  We need assistance with a variety of tasks at our main office in Shepherdstown.  Ideally, we would like to find someone who could do this weekly at a regular time, for a couple of hours (or longer).  But we can work with you if you require more flexibility.  If you think you might be able to help, please call our volunteer coordinator, Kelly Duncan, at 876-3325.

DINING FOR DOLLARS FUNDRAISER AT GLORY DAYS

From now through July 31, 2009, Good Shepherd can receive 10% of your food purchases at Glory Days Grill, at 190 Oak Lee Drive in Ranson, WV.  Just ask your server for a copy of your guest check (not credit card receipt) and either bring it to one of our offices (101 S. Princess Street in Shepherdstown or 221 E. Washington Street in Charles Town) or mail it to Good Shepherd Caregivers, Attn: Angie Hill, P. O. Box 1882, Shepherdstown, WV 25443. 

So, come on down to Glory Days and bring your friends and family!  For further information, please call Angie at (304) 876-3325.

TWO EASY WAYS TO EARN MONEY FOR GOOD SHEPHERD:  GOODSEARCH.COM & FOOD LION'S LIONSHOP & SHARE 

What if Good Shepherd Caregivers earned a penny every time you searched the Internet?  Or if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause?  Well, that’s exactly what can happen through GoodSearch.

GoodSearch.com is a new, Yahoo!-powered search engine and online shopping site that donates half its advertising revenue (about a penny per search) and a portion of all purchases made through the site, to the charities its users designate.  Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo!, and every time you search the Internet or purchase something through the site from one of their partner merchants (including Target, Gap, eBay, Macy’s, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, and hundreds more), Good Shepherd will receive a donation.  It doesn't cost you a thing — the money comes from the advertisers and the stores.  With the holidays coming up, this is a great way to shop from home and help Good Shepherd at the same time.

Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter Good Shepherd Interfaith Volunteer Caregivers as the charity you want to support.  

You can also help Good Shepherd raise money while you do your grocery shopping.  Through the LionShop & Share program, each time you shop at any Food Lion store and use your MVP card, a portion of your total purchase will be donated to Good Shepherd Caregivers.

To participate, all you have to do is give us your name, address, phone number, and MVP card number (this is a 12-digit number on the card, which includes two smaller digits on the ends).  You may email this information to Betty Severson at severson@citlink.net, or phone our offices at 876-3325 or 725-2262.  If you are already enrolled in LionShop & Share with another charity, Food Lion will not allow you to list a second charity; however, they will permit you to change your designated charity.

Please spread the word about these programs.  If you can take a few minutes to email this information to family members and friends, you could make a real difference to Good Shepherd Caregivers.

SENIOR SERVICES DIRECTORY AVAILABLE ONLINE!  Check out our Resources page:  Just click on "Resources" in the header toolbar at the top of this page.  You can download our Senior Services Directory, put together by Good Shepherd Caregivers and the Nelson Cluster of Episcopal Churches, and detailing a variety of services available to seniors in Jefferson County, WV. 

CAN YOU HELP WITH LIGHT HOUSEWORK?  You could really brighten a care receiver's day (and home) by doing some occasional light housework, such as vacuuming, dusting or washing a kitchen floor.  If this sounds like something you could do, please contact us.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT NEEDED: Our free medical equipment loan program is in need of durable medical equipment in good condition.

ONGOING NEEDS:  Volunteer opportunities are available at various times and include helping care receivers with errands, providing transportation to medical appointments, making friendly visits or phone calls, light housework (including dusting, vacuuming, folding laundry, and cleaning floors), assisting with paperwork (e.g., bill paying, balancing checkbook, reading the small print in documents such as insurance policies), chores (such as repairing screen doors, installing storm windows, weatherproofing doors and windows), yard work, and helping in our main office.  A large time commitment is not necessary; even an hour or two here and there can make a big difference in the life of a care receiver.  No need to wait until our next training to volunteer – please contact us today!