Throughout my articles for The Good Life, I have always tried to instill positivity and a simple reminder to people that it doesn’t take a huge endeavor to make a difference throughout our community. The effort put in to achieve change is great, but when you gather enough people together that share a common bond in making a difference, reaching the summit doesn’t seem so daunting.
As individuals, we always pride ourselves on being independent and resourceful, standing on our own two feet for so many years, and easily solving problems as they arise. Sometimes, however, we all reach a point where things are harder to do than they used to be and we need a buddy, a teammate, or simply a friend to help. When faced with this new scenario, it can be very overwhelming to admit and accept that having the additional assistance would certainly be beneficial. Sometimes it’s easy to forget that there are organizations, such as LifePath, ready to assist in making the heavy load a little lighter.
You see, when you begin to share your concerns with someone else, such as a friend, family member, or maybe someone in our Information Caregiver Resource Center (ICRC), you immediately start to feel better.
You see, when you begin to share your concerns with someone else, such as a friend, family member, or maybe someone in our Information Caregiver Resource Center (ICRC), you immediately start to feel better. Our programs are built with the intention to prevent people from feeling alone and without options. We are a coach along life’s path helping to guide and support you in discovering viable options that can help you to determine your next step. Because only together can we create the best possible future for ourselves and our loved ones.
Our Meals on Wheels program is a great example of teamwork where Monday through Friday our delivery drivers provide that personal connection to over 500 people each day, reassuring those we serve that they are not alone. This exchange provides a wonderful opportunity to touch base and a valuable chance to catch up on daily life and better understand what’s going on in their world. It’s all about stepping up and taking care of one another.
I’m sure we have all been through experiences where we wish we had someone to reassure us that things are going to be ok and that’s what LifePath does through its many programs. Support that is only made possible through the continued generosity of our individual donors, businesses, and community partners that all rally together in support of our efforts. Despite the concerning uncertainty with federal budget funding, we are doing our best to provide a level of continuity in delivering our programs and services to those in our care.
Our latest Walkathon event on October 18 at the Franklin County Fairgrounds could not have asked for better weather and we were very appreciative to have the Hart’s Brook Garland Hardy Mums lead our individual walkers and teams around the ½ mile track, to a collection of fun activities, info tables, and yummy food. This is LifePath’s annual fundraising event, helping to generate support for our Meals on Wheels program and other LifePath programs. We are so thankful to our many Sponsors, Walking Teams, Individual Walkers, Community Partners, and Individual Donors that collectively raised over $42,000 and counting as of the writing of this article in support of our efforts. Thank you so much!
Special thanks to Greenfield Savings Bank, as our main event sponsor; to the Franklin County Fairgrounds for the use of the infield space; and to our energetic staff and wonderful volunteers for doing such a great job in pulling the event together. We would also like to recognize our many sponsors: Greenfield Cooperative Bank; Athol-Orange Rotary Club; Virtus Investment Partners; ProsperiTea Planning; The Arbors of Greenfield; Cooley Dickinson VNA and Hospice; Renaissance Builders; Franklin First Federal Credit Union; Judd Wire, Inc.; Assisted Living Technologies of Western Mass; Brattleboro Hearing Center; The Davis Financial Group, LLC; FootCare by Nurses, LLC; Liberty Tax Service; Orange Post No. 172 American Legion; and Witty’s Funeral Home.
In addition, we would like to thank our many in-kind donors and community partners, including Adams Donuts; Apex Orchards; Clarkdale Fruit Farms; Food City; Foster’s Supermarket; The Franklin County Chamber of Commerce; Greenfield Business Association; Pine Hill Orchards; The Stop & Shop Supermarket, LLC; and Western Mass Media Group. Collectively, we all came together in making our annual Walkathon possible.
Speaking of collaborative partnerships and working together, some members of the LifePath team had a chance to volunteer at the Stone Soup Café Community Soup Night on October 20 and I found it to be even more rewarding than I had anticipated. It was so great to see how many people attended that night, shared a meal with others at the table, and maybe even started a conversation with someone they had just met for the first time. I had attended a few times before and each night was a wonderful example of how we can all come together to share life over a delicious meal. This, however, was the first time that I had experienced it from the volunteer side and it was a nice reminder of the benefit that we receive when we do good things for other people. I will certainly be back!
I would highly encourage everyone to consider volunteering at their favorite non-profit. It doesn’t have to be a big commitment, but the people you meet along the way might just make a difference in your life, too. You might even make a new friend. When we come together to share the load in solving life’s challenges, we can often find that making a difference in our community might not be so hard after all. By teaming up and working together we can accomplish just about anything!
To volunteer for one of LifePath’s many programs, including Meals on Wheels Drivers, please contact our main office at 413-773-5555 or visit our website for more information.
