Volunteer labor available for seniors with outdoor projects
Courtesy photo Nina Brooks enjoyed the help of an Idaho Mission Project crew from Prescott, Ariz., which cleaned up her yard in 2017. Seniors who want youth volunteers to help with outdoors projects this summer are encouraged to contact the ElderHelp hotline.
RATHDRUM — Seniors who could use help taking care of outdoor projects are in luck. Dozens of eager, young volunteers want to help, and they’ll be available from June 17 through Aug. 10. Any interested senior should call the ElderHelp hotline at 208-661-8870, said ElderHelp of North Idaho President John Corcoran.
“We have the ability to get their yards cleaned up, their yards raked up for spring left over from winter,” and more, he said.
Most of the middle school and high school youth groups come from Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, said Idaho Mission Project program coordinator Kathryn Cronin, but this summer one is coming from as far away as Missouri. The youth groups tend to be from United Methodist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches, she added. They stay at Twinlow Camp here and have lots of energy to do all those time-consuming, labor-intensive tasks that burden some local seniors. From the middle of June until early August, she said from 40-50 young people will be available weekly to give their time, labor, and form new connections with the elders they get to help.
With their own youth leaders acting as supervisors, Cronin said the youth work in groups appropriate for the size and complexity of the tasks before them. The more work they have, the better, she explained. Some projects include yard work, deep cleaning, wood stacking, and help getting wood ready for the winter months, said Cronin. Each youth group is looking to fill its work days completely and doesn’t want to be bored.
Corcoran said interested persons should call the ElderHelp hotline and provide the senior’s name, address, phone number, and a description of the work requested. Cronin will follow up with a house visit to determine the scope of the work and the tools needed, then will schedule a convenient date for the volunteer youths to come to the senior’s home to do the work.
Cronin said she has plenty of volunteer labor available and wants more work for the youth groups to do. Requests can be accepted as late as the end of June, she said. To request youth volunteers for your senior, call the ElderHelp hotline at 208-661-8870. For more information, go to elderhelpofnorthidaho.org or twinlowcamp.org.