On Nov. 9, staff members and volunteers put together the annual Sandel Center Thanksgiving Feast for their "family" of close to 200. Attendees enjoyed a traditional luncheon of turkey with all the fixings, and the invited guests included Mayor Eugene Murray, Trustee Jeanne Farnan Mulry, zoning board president Kevin Akner and his wife, Tracy.
It is a Sandel tradition at the luncheon to honor community members who make a difference in Rockville Centre. This year, rather than looking outside the center for honorees, the administration honored the work of center volunteers. Members of the Sandel Service Corps were selected as this year's honorees. The organization serves the local community in a variety of capacities, proving that the senior years are the golden years of giving back.
The Service Corps comprises six sub-organizations: Seniors Helping Students, the Sandel Circle, De LaSalle School Volunteers, the Plants and Grounds Committee, Friends of the Symphony and the St. Patrick's Day Committee. More than 40 seniors donate their time and energy to Service Corps activities.
Seniors Helping Students provides after-school help for children in first through sixth grades at the Economic Opportunity Council headquarters. Seniors help children with reading and homework. "I've been retired from the teaching profession for nine years," said participant Marie Grace Federici. "Tutoring children at the EOC was a way for me to get back into the swing of things. Helping these children complete their homework has its rewards and challenges. But even more important is the smile, word, feeling or touch that may linger with a child long after our time together has ended."
Members of the Sandel Circle visit local nursing homes or assisted-living facilities once a month, including the Rockville Nursing Center, Rockville Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, East Rockaway Care Center and Maple Pointe Assisted Living. They visit with residents and participate in group activities including bingo, horse racing and sing-alongs. "The residents of the nursing homes we visit are eager to have someone to talk to," said volunteer Joan Holland. "Listening is the most valuable service we can provide them. The warmth with which we are greeted is very gratifying. The sharing of their life experiences is mutually appreciated."
Volunteers at the De LaSalle School in Freeport participate in intergenerational "mind aerobics" with disadvantaged youth. The middle school students are offered a program that tests their academic ability and gives them a chance to bond with the seniors.
Members of the Plants and Grounds Committee take pride in the beautification of the flower beds at the Rockville Centre train station. The group plants flowers three times a year and maintains the beds throughout the year. Murray thanked the group for its hard work, and shared with them how much their work is appreciated.
Friends of the Symphony comprises a group of seniors who volunteer their services at performances of the South Shore Symphony, taking tickets, distributing programs and ensuring that performances run smoothly behind the scenes.
The final component of the Sandel Service Corps is the fund-raising committee for the Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Day Parade. The members help out at local events, raising money for the parade.
As speakers at the pre-Thanksgiving celebration praised the hard work and accomplishments of the volunteers, members stood for recognition. Volunteer Harold Buck summed up the feelings of most in the room when he said, "Helping other people is a good thing."
