Helping People Move Forward with Their Lives.
client. In short, there is no Meals On Wheels
without volunteers delivering food, shopping
and delivering groceries and board members
leading the way into the future.
EMBRACING OUR VETERANS
Embracing Our Veterans (EOV), an
organization that provides gently used
furniture and home supplies to veterans,
relies almost entirely on volunteers to fulfill
their mission. One of their most reliable
volunteers is Randy Schiefelbein, an Air
Force veteran dedicated to helping other
veterans. He has volunteered with EOV
since it was founded five years ago, and he
was a driving force in the development of
the Homeless Veteran Project which helps
to transition veterans from homelessness to
having a home with a warm bed. To make
that happen, Randy has carried many beds
and couches up many, many stairs, but he
never complains. He is very compassionate
and quickly befriends the veterans and
their families. Randy is first to volunteer,
last to go home, and first to come back
again. In addition to heavy lifting, he is
also instrumental in the office, compiling
necessary forms and planning logistics
for donation pick-up and delivery. He is a
shining example of a volunteer, driven by
passion, who has expanded a nonprofit’s
capacity by applying his talents to both direct
and indirect service to our community.
ANNA C.A.R.E.S
When Fleur left Qatar with her four boys
by her side, she never dreamed she would
soon be living in the United States and
sharing her heart with the people of Erie,
Pennsylvania. Even after living on the streets
in the Middle East, the challenges of her past
didn’t get in the way of her having a life she
could only dream of. With the help of VZW
Rescue Salukis Middle East, she was able to
fly to the US and start a new life. Fleur now
volunteers through The ANNA C.A.R.E.S.
program (Community and Resources,
Education & Services), which brings
rescue pets to spend time with children
and the elderly.
If you haven’t guessed by now, Fleur
isn’t your everyday volunteer. Fleur is an
approximately 10 year- old Saluki. You
read that right - Fleur is a dog! She is
proof that great volunteers come from all
walks (and species) of life. Fleur’s handler,
Emily, is an employee of The ANNA
Shelter, and when she has a pet visit that
requires a very calm dog, Fleur is her girl.
“Nothing fazes her. She especially loves
children,” notes Emily during a visit to
The Erie Homes for Children & Adults
MOVE center. She added that Fleur’s
favorite is visiting hospice patients. Emily
recalls one amazing encounter when
Fleur curled up in the patient’s lap and the
woman told Emily that she no longer felt
any pain.
If you are interested in volunteering,
or if you would like ANNA C.A.R.E.S.
to visit your organization, contact The
ANNA Shelter at 814-451-0230 or email
staff@theannashelter.com for more
information.
Contributors:
Katherine Reim, Achieva Family Trust, 814-504-5556
Kathie Kutterna-Soudan, RN, Prebyterian SeniorCare Network, 814-969-1090
Terry Pytlarz, Meals on Wheels Erie, 814-452-6930
Kelly Runninger, Embracing Our Veterans, 814-636-1950
Guilynn Distefano, The Village at Luther Square, 814-452-3271
The Niagara Network is a group of business professionals affiliated with the human services industry. If
you would like to join or find out more information about the group and its members, visit the Niagara
Network’s web site at http://www.NiagaraNetwork.net.
MILLCREEK
❘
SPRING 2019
71