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Senior Companions:
Serving Our Community
Read the stories below to learn more about Senior Companions and the people they serve.
Marjorie Balo
Marjorie Balo was 13 years old when she first
picked up a needle, and this would start a lifelong
love of quilting for the Tulare, S.D. native.
In 1943, she married Kenneth Balo, and settled
on a dairy farm near White, S.D. In between
milking and collecting eggs from 400 chickens,
Kenneth and Marjorie raised five daughters.
The couple retired in Arizona, where Marjorie
purchased her own quilt shop. After her husband
passed away, she moved back to South
Dakota. Surrounded by many of the quilts she
has pieced together over the years, Marjorie
is still using her creative talents to bless the
people around her.
Marjorie isn’t ready to slow down. To help her
with daily projects and tasks, she has two
Senior Companions, Lisa Raab and Sharon
Rose. Lisa and Sharon help Marjorie with Bible
lessons and meetings, reading and answering
mail, and baking. They go to the grocery store,
hardware store and Marjorie’s favorite quilt
shop. At 93 years young, and with the help of
her Companions, Marjorie continues to stitch
the threads of her life together in the beautiful
patchwork quilt called life.
Grace Lamb (right) and her Senior
Companion, Arlene White.
Arlene White has been a Senior Companion for
15 years. She currently serves five clients in
rural Harrisburg, Tea and Canton.
One of Arlene’s clients, Grace Lamb, is 92 years
old and proudly states that she doesn’t take any
prescribed medications. She worked as a nurses’
aide at the Sioux Falls VA Hospital for 30 years.
After she retired, Grace moved to her house in
Tea, where she’s lived for 31 years.
Eleven years ago, Arlene started visiting Grace
each week on Wednesdays. They talk and have
coffee and usually a cookie or some other goodie
that Grace has baked. Then, they buy groceries.
Grace doesn’t see well, and Arlene is a big
help in the grocery store –– identifying and pulling
items off the shelves. Sometimes, when Grace
wants to shop for clothes or shoes, they travel to
Sioux Falls. Wherever they go, they always end
the visit at Grace’s home for more conversation.
When Grace was asked what she enjoyed the
most about Arlene’s visits, she replied, “the company
and companionship.” It’s important to Grace
to continue living in her house. She’s comfortable
there and knows where everything is. Arlene is
ready to help make that wish come true.