Spring 2012 - Retirement Housing Foundation

VolunteersVolunteers are the only human beings on the face of the earth who reflect this nation’scompassion, unselfish caring, patience, and just plain love for one another.- Erma BrombeckNona Amack300 Main - Estacada, OregonThere doesn’t seem to be anything that Nona Amack can’t do.Nona first started visiting 300 Main and its residents a numberof years ago - when the musical group she belonged to, theUpriver Dulcimers, started entertaining the residents. That became amonthly get-together.She also entertains them on her accordion, will bring in ‘guest’musicians for a jam session in the community’s lobby, andorganized the entertainment for the community’s 50th Anniversarycelebration.®Upon hearing about 300 Main’s Project H.A.N.D.S. group, shebegan playing an active role in their activities - arriving early at theweekly meetings to organize the 20 - 25 volunteers of all ages (including 300 Main residents, friends from thegreater community and a large contingent of students from the Porter Road Mennonite School). She not onlytaught the group to use knitting looms to create hats and scarves, but she began collecting materials and donationsfor the group as well. The group donates items to Estacada’s Christmas for Kids and Nona is alwaysthere to help with setting up the event.She participates in the community’s weekly Bible Study, helps out at the various parties (which usually includesbringing some ‘goodies’, too) and is a comforting presence if a resident is ill or needs help.She has truly enriched the lives of the residents of 300 Main with all of her hard work.Virginia FraniLa Mirada Vistas - La Mirada, CaliforniaVirginia Frani has been a resident at La Mirada Vistas for more than 13 years- she considers the residents there to be her extended family. So it isn’t tooterribly surprising to see her checking up on them to make sure they arealright and providing resources to make their lives a little bit easier.While she suffers with a number of debilitating conditions, she is still an®active member of the community’s Project H.A.N.D.S. group, makingbeautiful soft yarn hats for newborns at local hospitals and shelters.She is also a vocal advocate for the residents and RHF. She makes it a pointto stay on top of the changes at the federal level on programs affecting LaMirada Vistas and its residents and is the first to sign letters to variouselected officials that encourage them to vote the right way and encouragesother residents to do the same.Gloria Pedregon, La Mirada Vista’s manager states, “She is an inspiration for other residents and her smilemeans so much - we are blessed to have her here at our community.”-13-