PUTNEY-Putney Community Cares will hold an Open House and Volunteer Appreciation Party on Saturday, Sept. 14, from 2 to 4 p.m., in the Laura Heller Community Barn at 54 Kimball Hill.
"We want to celebrate not only our amazing volunteers, but also the improvements to our physical space," said Ruby McAdoo, Putney Community Cares coordinator, who described the nonprofit's volunteers and donors as "the backbone of what we do."
"Volunteers are the drivers and packers for our Meals on Wheels program," she said. "Volunteers provide medical rides for Putney residents. We want to honor our volunteers and let them know how much we appreciate their efforts."
Remembering Putney residents
One of the physical improvements is the new memorial garden, designed and installed in 2023 by Rod Payne-Meyer of Creative Landscapes and funded by a Community Resilience Grant from United Way of Windham County.
"This came about because of our desire to remember the folks in our community whom we love but who are no longer with us," McAdoo said. "Situated in the garden are two beautiful and comfortable wooden benches, so people have the opportunity to sit and rest, or sit in communion with the memory of someone."
According to the organization's publicity materials, "If you are looking for a way to honor your loved one, Putney Community Cares is happy to receive memorial contributions to honor the memory of Putney residents (including animal companions) who have passed away."
The benches are made of local white oak by Matt Carruthers at Livin Roots Woodworks in Dummerston.
"We didn't want generic metal park benches," McAdoo said. "We wanted something more beautiful of natural materials and made by a local artisan. We were happy to be able to secure funding to pay for the landscaping and to purchase one of the benches. It would have been hard to pull out of our coffers."
The other bench has a plaque dedicated to Maggie Cassidy, a beloved teacher of French and active community member who died in 2022. It was donated by her family.
"Maggie was on our board of directors for many years," McAdoo said.
Other improvements
That same grant also funded the purchase of a new freezer and a new, much larger refrigerator.
"This has been a game changer for us," McAdoo said. "We were beyond capacity for our Meals on Wheels program and had to store the meals in coolers - not ideal. Now we're much more professional."
Another improvement is the installation of a heat pump and air exchange system.
"Thanks to American Rescue Plan Act funds we received from the town of Putney as directed by the Putney Selectboard, we now have a heat pump, which provides air conditioning," McAdoo said.
"This building could get very warm in summer. Participants in our classes are much more comfortable," she continued.
A heat recovery ventilation air exchange system in the basement is "harder to see, but it has a huge impact on our building's air quality," McAdoo added.
Solar panels being installed on the roof have a battery back-up system that should support the increased electrical usage from the heat pumps, she said.
Thanks to a grant from the Thomas Thompson Trust, community fundraising, and the support of local families, the Barn has a new deck overlooking the backyard.
"It's a three-season space and is almost the same square footage as our indoor room," McAdoo said, calling the new structure "perfect for meetings, gatherings, tai-chi, and yoga. It's a stable surface - we could even have the international folk dance class there."
An exterior ramp entrance lets people access the space from the outside, she added, noting that it "opens up a whole world of outdoor programming opportunities."
A 'vital, healthy Putney community'
Putney Community Cares is a social service agency whose mission "is to foster the health, well-being, and independence of all members of our community, from newborns to the oldest adults, by strengthening family and community bonds," McAdoo said.
Current programs and services include events and classes; Meals on Wheels; a monthly foot care clinic; assistance in filling out forms for Medicaid (Green Mountain Care) or food access (3SquaresVT); a diaper/adult brief bank in partnership with Putney Foodshelf; and more.
New initiatives are on the horizon, McAdoo said, offering as an example a free workshop, "Understanding Medicare," about open enrollment for the federal health insurance program for senior citizens, which starts on Oct. 15.
The program will be presented via Zoom by Senior Solutions on Monday, Sept. 9, at 5 p.m., with McAdoo also facilitating discussion for those attending in person at Putney Community Cares.
"We serve individuals, families, and older adults in our community," McAdoo said. "We provide outreach, direct support, programming, and connection to services. Putney Community Cares is dedicated to building and maintaining a vital, healthy Putney community."
For more information about Putney Community Cares services, visit putneycommunitycares.org, email [email protected], or call 802-387-5593 and leave a message.
This News item was submitted to The Commons.