LANDIS HOMES
Volunteer Services
Spring Wish List!
Manheim House sensory activities – See article on page 2
▪ possibly escort residents by wheelchair to activity
▪ assist Life Enrichment team members in helping residents with
the activity
Bingo assistance: escort residents by wheelchair, assist residents
with their card(s)
▪ Oregon House, any Friday, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
▪ Personal Care, any Wednesday, 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Outdoor railroad exhibit:
▪ knowledgeable about trains and track, able to repair as needed,
or willingness to learn
▪ train runs Monday through Saturday, 9:30am – 11:30am
Adopt-A-Garden:
▪ Maintenance/Grounds team members have identified various
areas on campus for flower beds or general care
▪ Plant, water and weed – or just keep planted areas weeded
▪ If you miss “being in the dirt,” this may be an opportunity for you!
1001 East Oregon Rd.
Lititz, PA 17543
(717) 509-5409
Angels On Duty
Volunteer Newsletter
♥ Sue Shirk, Director of Volunteer Services
Spring
2015
♥ Joyce Shenk, Assistant
National Volunteer Week: April 12-18, 2015
The theme for National Volunteer Week is “Volunteers – A Work of Heart!” Your HEART for service
through volunteering is evident to everyone. During the CARF-CCAC reaccreditation visit the last week of
February, the surveyors were astounded by our number of volunteers, by the wide variety of roles you fill, and
by the number of hours you serve. All those milestones are possible because you share your HEART – and
we are grateful.
One way of acknowledging our appreciation is the annual Volunteer Appreciation Banquet. Volunteers
who recorded 25 or more service hours for Landis Homes in calendar year 2014 have already received an
invitation to the banquet. PLEASE return the reply portion of the invitation with a “Yes” or a “No.” Your
response will eliminate the need for MANY phone calls if we do not receive your RSVP. Come and help
celebrate a long history of volunteerism at Landis Homes!
In calendar year 2014, a total of 459 volunteers (300 residents, 159 community volunteers) recorded a total of
35,016 service hours for Landis Homes. Another 13,425 hours were recorded for community organizations.
Following tradition, a tree will be planted on campus with a plaque
honoring all volunteers who served in calendar year 2014.
Thank you, Thank you!
Sue and Joyce
Thanks for considering how you may be able to serve!
If you are interested in helping fill our wish list,
please call us at 509-5409.
OFFICE HOLIDAY SCHEDULE
Good Friday, April 3:
Memorial Day, May 25:
Office will be closed
Office will be closed
We wish everyone a blessed Holy Week
and joyous Easter!
January and February usually puts a big “dent” into our ability to provide
volunteers to fill department requests. In February alone, more than 30
weekly volunteers headed some place warm – which wasn’t particularly
Florida this year! Many substitute volunteers helped “fill the gap” by
serving numerous extra shifts. THANKS to all who served “above and
beyond” their usual commitments. We look forward to April and
welcoming our “snowbird” volunteers “home!”
Seeking… Who Will We Find??
Life Enrichment team member, Sarah Zimmerman, is seeking Manheim House volunteers. Several
times a month, she plans a variety of “sensory” programs which are a fantastic way to engage all the
senses and reminisce. Programs include sensory bins which are used as tactile and reminiscent
engagement. One example is an “Eye Spy” bin where residents can feel various
types of objects. A volunteer engaging a resident can help identify the object, say
a pencil, and ask questions: “What does it feel like (smooth or rough),” “What do
you remember about using a pencil in school,” etc. Sensory programs engaging
smell are also used, for example “Fruit Salad.” Various fruits were cut and placed
in small bowls for residents to smell. Sensory art programs are used
for smell and touch engagement. A Christmas example was residents dipping their fingers
in paint and pressing on paper to create a string of Christmas lights. Two March sensory
programs coincide -- Flowers and Flower Petal Art. Various flowers will be purchased for
residents to smell and later the petals will be removed to create a collage of flowers.
Sensory sound programs are used which have a tactile function. In March, plastic Easter
eggs will be filled with various objects to shake and hear different sounds.
A new program is creative writing which can be as simple as completing MAD
Libs, creating a fictional story, or themed writing. It allows residents to tap into
their creativity and reminisce. Sarah reported “lots of laughter” in the February
writing activity as residents gave suggestions to create a story about Abraham
Lincoln who fell in love with Martha Washington! A March creative writing
program will happen on “National Create Your Own Holiday Day.” A volunteer
will give question prompts to residents such as “If you could create your own holiday what would it
be?” etc. Volunteers will assist residents by encouraging response and writing resident’s thoughts.
The most important quality is a willingness to interact with residents. Sensory programs occur
mornings or afternoons for an hour. Our goal is to create a pool of persons we could contact to assist
Manheim residents with these delightful programs. If you are interested, we’d love to hear from you –
and if you’d enjoy a specific sensory program, please let us know. Call us at (509-5409*) or via email
to [email protected] and [email protected].
We welcomed 20 new volunteers this past quarter. Here’s a “Who’s Who” list.
(R) identifies the volunteer as a Landis Homes resident.
Glenn Bucher (R)
Mary Bucher (R)
Lauren Cairns
Janet Eberly (R)
Tammy Emerich
Jean Horning (R)
Martha Hossler (R)
Rebecca Lauver
Mary Ellen Martin (R)
Vera H Martin (R)
Willard Martin (R)
Daniel Mekeel
James Oberholtzer (R)
Donna Ruth (R)
Harvey Ruth (R)
Ali Sauder
Rachel Steckbeck
Donald Tyrrell (R)
Miriam Wert (R)
Anna Yoder
Entrance Greeter
Entrance Greeter
Pet Visits
Music
Newspapers
Entrance Greeter, Lunch Assistant
Resident Escort
Friendly Visitor
Entrance Greeter
Resident Escort
Resident Escort
Resident Escort
Newspapers, Resident Escort
To be assigned
Resident escort
To be assigned
Friendly Visitor
Resident Escort
Newspapers, Resident Escort
Swan & peafowl care
Calendar of Events
Looking ahead, here are some important dates when we will need numerous volunteers. If you now
know you would like to assist, please contact us.
Book Sale – West Community Room:
 Wednesday, April 15: volunteers needed to organize books by various categories
 Thursday, April 16 and Friday, April 17: volunteers needed to assist customers
(cashiering, bagging books)
(The annual yard sale of furniture will also be held in the Pavilion on Friday, April 17)
Fellowship Day and Chicken Barbeque—MANY volunteers are needed for all kinds of tasks.
Examples include:
 Friday, Sept 11: unload storage trailer, set up flea market, assist Auxiliary
with table and chair set up, bag cookies and dinner rolls
 Saturday, September 12: food court, auction bid spotters and runners,
assisting with flea market, market place, chicken barbeque