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April 11, 2008
Caregiver Volunteers Honored
Caregiver Volunteers HonoredHundreds cited for work assisting the elderly with daily tasks
By Lauren O. Kidd • TOMS RIVER BUREAU • April 11, 2008
TOMS RIVER — Hundreds of Ocean County volunteers were honored Thursday evening during an appreciation dinner and worship service held at the United Methodist Church of Toms River.
The appreciation night was held for members of Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey, a nonprofit interfaith organization that provides volunteers to assist elderly people with daily tasks and enable them to live with dignity in their own homes.
"Our mission is to try to keep them as independent as possible," Lynette Whiteman, executive director of the organization, said in an interview Thursday night.
Whiteman said the event was a nice way to honor those who do so much for other people.
Many of the volunteers attending the event said that they get more back from volunteering than they give.
"You forget your own little problems," said Mary Lacy, 72, of Toms River. Lacy and her husband, Walt, volunteer to spend time with Alzheimer's patients to give their everyday caretakers a rest.
Bette Durkee, 74, of Toms River, who sat next to the couple during the dinner also spends time with Alzheimer's patients.
One of those patients is cared for day-in and day-out by her legally blind husband, Durkee said.
"It is like unbelievable, my God, and I am worrying about little insignificant stuff," Durkee said.
Religious leaders from a number of Ocean County churches participated in the interfaith service.
"It is people like you that help make the world a better place. It is people like you that care receivers can't do without," the Rev. Edward D. Harper, pastor of Macedonia Baptist Church in Lakewood, said during the service.
The Junior Angelies from the Macedonia Baptist Church sing Thursday at a dinner and worship service at the United Methodist Church of Toms River. The appreciation night was held for members of Caregiver Volunteers of Central Jersey. (STAFF PHOTOS: ROBERT WARD)
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