Care Assurance System for the Aging and Homebound of Madison County

701 Andrew Jackson Way Huntsville, AL 35801 (256) 533-7775www.casamadisoncty.org

Severe Transportation Shortage

Summer 2015

You Made a Difference!Father’s Day - June Ramp Blitz 2015

CASA of Madison County has seen a steady increase in requests for services, especially for wheelchair ramps. CASA has experienced a 31.5% rise in request for wheelchair ramps since last year. Ann Anderson, Execu-tive Director, says, “We have dedicated CASA volunteers building and giving 70 hours every month, and we are still getting further behind with no slowing down in sight.”

In an effort to catch up and make a small dent in the current waiting list, a month long ramp blitz was organized in the month of June. The goal was building and funding 15 wheelchair ramps, in addition to painting and repairing projects. To meet this goal, we sought out help from local church groups, social clubs, service organizations, and willing individuals.

Thanks to 104 volunteers we were able to build 14 ramps and repair 11 ramps through the blitz efforts. Volunteers spent more than 1,100 hours repairing, painting, preparing, and building just to provide fami-lies with ways to get to doctors appointments and live their life with

security and independence. We raised $3,050 of the $9,000 fundraising goal which helped to off set the costs of the lumber and nails for each of the ramps. Wheelchair ramps are an on going need in our community, and there is still time to get involved either through volunteering or donating. Contact our office for more information.

You finally have a safe way to get out of your home, but you can no longer drive, now what? Options are extremely limited across the nation for seniors in need of help getting around to things as simple as the doctor, grocery store, or the post office. Madison County is no exception to this severe shortage. Currently, CASA volunteers provide an average of 26 rides per month to medical appointments. In addition, CASA provides TRAM tickets and HandiRide tickets for clients to help with the cost to the individual. What are the alternatives? - HandiRide (Huntsville city)/TRAM (county) > Public transportation for individuals with disabilities. Picks up at the home and drops off at the requested locations. Re-quires an application process and doctor referral. Hours are Monday thru Friday from 6 AM to 6 PM. Cost is $2.00 each way. (CASA doesn’t provide volunteer transportation for individuals in wheelchairs, but we do provide tickets to those who use this service.)- City Bus > Public transportation for anybody within the Huntsville City limits. Cost is $1.00 per trip or $.50 for

riders 65 and over. Pick up and drop off are only at desig-nated bus stops. Schedule runs Monday thru Friday from 6 AM to 6 PM. Route includes City of Huntsville. - Taxi or Pay Services > Picks up and drops off at re-quested location. Cost varies based on distance to the destination. - Family Members/Friends/Church > Most frequently used option. Sometimes the driver asked to be paid for gas, but others do not require any funds. Many times this option can be limited due to scheduling conflicts and job schedules. “ ‘Transportation issues for seniors are the first point of isolation and need,’ said Sandy Markwood, CEO of the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging.” (Singer, Paul. “Transportation is top need for seniors calling for help.” USA Today. Web. June 23, 2015.) Ms. Markwood provides a great insight into why CASA’s Transportation program is so important. There are times CASA staff is forced to turn a client down for help because of the lack of volunteers. More volunteers are vital to this program. To get involved, please call Lauren at 256-533-7775 or by email at Lauren@casamadisoncty.org.

YES! I want to change the life of a Madison County senior by donating:

$1,000$500$250$125 $50 $25 Other: (please specify amount) ________________

Designation: (please specify program) ________________________________

I’d like to make a donation in honor of / memory of

Name:__________________________________________________________

Address:________________________________________________________

Telephone:______________________________________________________

Email:__________________________________________________________

Memorial/Honoree’s name:_______________________________

Send Gift Notice to: __________________________________________________

Please make checks payable to: CASA of Madison County

To donate using a Visa or MasterCard, please visit our website at: www.casamadisoncty.org

Contact us with questions at: (256) 533-7775

Your tax deductible contribution stays locally to provide direct services for

the elderly & homebound.

$500 ~ Builds a wheelchair •ramp, to help our clients safely exit their homes.$150 ~ Keeps a senior cool •during the heat of summer, by purchasing an air conditioner.$60 ~ Prevents harmful falls •by purchasing and installing handrails.

Email the CASA office withany updates, requests to receive electronic newsletters or to be

removed from the mailing list. info@casamadisoncty.org

Page 2 To learn more about the organization or volunteer opportunities, call CASA at 256-533-7775 or visit www.casamadisoncty.org.

Thank You!

Things are looking up for the CASA Community Garden. Thanks to a recent grant award from the Camp-Younts Foundation, CASA has been able to purchase a new piece of equipment making work for our volunteers much easier. Summer hours have been extended with more morning times available to keep volunteers out of the hottest parts of the day. Check our calendar on our website at casamadisoncty.org to see thetimesthatfityourschedule.

Now that our garden is in full swing, we are looking to get deliveries going out on a regular basis. Deliveries occur at various times during the week, and two deliveries on Saturdays.

CASA Garden Coordinator, Shawn Escher, will be there each day to educate and train all volunteers on areas of need in the garden.

Garden addreSS: 4725 Bob Wallace Avenue, down the street from the Botanical Gardens, west of the intersection at Bob Wallace and Jordan Lane.

TO VOLUNTEER CONTACT: Lauren Carter at(256) 533-7775 lauren@casamadisoncty.org

Work at The CASA Garden!

Garden Work Days:Tuesdays: 12pm - 7pm

Wednesdays: 8am - 3pmThursdays: 9am - 4pm

Fridays: 7am - 2pmSaturdays: 8:00am-1:00pm

Veggie Delivery Days:Scheduling of Deliveries Vary

Meet at the CASA GardenGroups must be scheduled in advance.

Tips for working in the CASA GardenWhat to Wear:

Closed toed shoes & socks•Comfortable clothing•Items that can get dirty•

What to Bring:Water • • Sunscreen Snacks • • Insect repellent

CASA Community Garden

Sponsored By

Anne Cary Walker Management Trust

By day, the CASA Community Garden is the sight of volunteers working to grow produce for local seniors, but one night of the year it transforms into a magi-cal venue. During this yearly garden event, the com-munity comes together to support our mission to care for seniors and homebound in Madison County. The 4th Annual Night in the Garden presented by Hunts-ville Hospital was a tremendous success! This year’s event had 30 sponsors with a turn out of more than 300 people. In just a few years, the amount of funds raised during the event has increased by 400%, turning this into CASA’s major annual fundraiser.

“We had an amazing group of people on our events committee, and, more importantly, they believe in the importance of taking care of our aging generations,” said Ann Anderson, CASA’s Executive Director, when asked one of the reasons that made this year such a great success.

Randolph Brass Choir from Randolph’s Upper School, Winslow Davis, and JUICE provided entertainment for this year’s guests. The evening was beautiful with dec-orations, thanks to the help from InBloom Floral Design Studio. Beth Jett emceed the garden event, including a live auction where attendees adopted CASA provided services like wheelchair ramps, grab bar and handrails, and hearing and vision assistance raising nearly $14,000. The surprise for the evening came from Donny McElvoy, who auctioned off a catered picnic from Backyard Cookin’ bringing in

an additional $1,000 donation from the crowd. At the very end of the evening, one lucky guest won a set of pearl earrings, bracelet, and necklace provided by Donny’s Diamond Gallery.

Huntsville Hospital, the Anne Cary Walker Management Trust, COSTCO, Intuitive Research, and Wells Fargo were among the top sponsors for the garden event helping to make it the most successful year yet. As with most fundraisers, the work was not all done in one night and close to 80 volun-teers helped in planning the event and preparing the garden for this impor-tant evening.

Presented By

Additional Sponsors: AUM Charitable Foundation, Brockwell Technologies, Brooks/Perez, C&A Printing, FirstBank Mortgage Partners and FirstBank, Hall Albright Garrison & Associates, Kitty Davenport- Financial Adivsor-Edward Jones Associates, Lanier, Ford, Shaver, and Payne, Leena Jacobs, Weichert Realty, Redstone Federal Credit Union, Republic Service, S&B Financial Consultants, Torch Technologies, WHNT, Al.Com/Huntsville Times, Complete Dental, Huntsville Utilities Volunteer Council, IBERIA Bank, Landers McLarty, Lockheed Martin, Merrill Lynch Wealth Management, Mission Multiplier Consulting, LLC, Northrop Grum-man, Progress Bank, Sterling Health & Compound, Wells Fargo Bank, Melodie Brier - Edward Jones

Photos Courtesy of Jeff White Photographer

Jeff White PhotographerPremium Shakers

InBloom Floral Design Sound Source Productions

Shawn EscherCommunity Volunteers

George NelsonRicardo Jaramillo

Pete LutherYusuke NakamuraDavid Steinhauser

Scott Stevens

Special Thank You to

Catering by Lake Guntersville Backyard Cookin’Fresh Chicken provided by Springer Mountain Farms

Chef Steve Bunner and 1892 East RestaurantWine provided by the Wine Cellar

Beer provided Thanks to Turner Beverage Co. Inc. Rosie’s provided Chips and Salsa

Vickie Hinton provided the Specialty Cookies

Civitas (Latin for One Community), Huntsville/Madison County

Leadership Class 28Lori Ellen Hudnall

David CookSheryll Brown

Pam Rhodes Rick Hempstead

Neil Lamb

JoAnn PerezBrenda ConvilleBarbara Zeitler

Beth Brooks

Becky GordonStephanie Locker

Leena JacobsLee McBride

Night in the Garden Event Committee:

The BakersThe Benjamin FamilyThe Brooks Family

Joe and Claudia Bucher *The Buckner Family

Wade’s Row *Joni Green

Family Dinner Friends In Memory of Granny *The Link Row

Lowe Family Row *Lady SashaJerre Penney Jean Penney

Bill Penney ToyotaThe Pols

Pam RhodesSignhal Family

Bob and Peggy RowellTheresa WeigartzCarol Williamson

*Raised Bed

Row Sponsors

Providing Full Year of Service:- Ms. Lalene Brewer- Mr. and Mrs. Samual Wood- Ms. Alka Bhargav- Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ferrante- Mr. and Mrs. Rey AlmodovarProviding Ramp and Grab bar:- Dr. and Mrs. Deepak Katyal- Mr. John Bouffard- Mr. and Mrs. Brayn Price- Mr. Kenneth Chisolm and Mrs. Melodie BrierProviding Hearing and Vision Needs - Mr. and Mrs. Tony Williams- Ms. Shannon Hoyt- Mr. and Mrs. Ron Banks

- Ms. Debbie Book- Mr. and Mrs. Ray Baker- Mr. and Mrs. Anthony GreenProviding Durable Medical Equipment - Mr. and Mrs. Rodney Ambrose- Ms. Lalene Brewer- Mr. and Mrs. Gary Conville- Mr. and Mrs. Jose Hidalgo, Jr. - Mr. and Mrs. David Johnson- Mr. and Mrs. James MacLean- Mr. Jim Owens- Mr. and Mrs. Wilner Pierre-Mike- Mr. and Mrs. Julio Rodes - Mrs. Angel Stinson- Mr. and Mrs. Oliver Street

Services Sponsored By- Mr. and Mrs. David Thomas- Mr. Cliff WhiteProviding Protective Undergarments and Gifts Cards for Personal Hygiene Items:- Mr. and Mrs. Tony Williams- Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Davenport- Ms. Lynda Hall- Mr. and Mrs. Blake Sketo

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CASA kicks off the 2015 TEMP$ season with the Assessors meeting in AUGUST. More than 150 homes will be visited and assessed for needs in preparation for the winter months. If your group is looking for a Fall project, please consider volunteering

for our TEMP$ program. With your help, we can make sure all of the homes are prepared for the colder weather to arrive. TEMP$ work day will be on Saturday, november 7th.ContactLaureninourofficetoreceiveinformation about TEMP$.

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Stay Connected

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Follow us @CASAMadisonCty

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View our videos and subscribe to our channel @CASAMadisonCty

did you know?No, many of us don’t know. We don’t understand what it is like to be trapped in our home until it happens to us or someone we love. Phone calls come in daily from individuals who never considered what their lives would require when they were no longer able to get around freely. They feel isolated and don’t know where to turn. CASA services provide them with hope that one day they will have some of their freedom returned. For these individuals and their loved ones they can now say “I know,” and they have a better understanding of why it is so important for CASA’s mission to continue. They realize now why we are constantly making a plea for more volunteers and more donors to keep up with the growing demand of request for our services. We hear from families who have loved ones coming home from rehabilitation hospitals and they don’t know how they are going to manage leaving their homes to get to their doctor’s appointments without a wheelchair ramp. Some people will call because they are faced with not knowing how they will be able to get in and out of the shower without the necessary durable medical equipment. These individuals are faced with uncertainty, but with your help we can meet their needs quicker and minimize their fears of the unknown.

Frequently asked Question #14How can I be an advocate for CASA in my day to day life?

ForwardemailsfromCASA’soffice;PostourNewslettersinyourbreakroomsoronchurchbulletinboards;InviteCASAstaffto

speaktoyourgroup;Sharepositiveexperienceswithothers;ShareCASA’sinformationonSocialMedia;Invitepeopletovolunteerwithyouforgroupopportunities;GiveDonations;Findoutifyour

company matches gifts.

Please send your FAQ’s to jessica@casamadisoncty.org

Are we already talking about Christmas?! Yes! Work begins on our Christmas program in September with phonecallstoclientswebelievecanbenefitfromreceiving a few items during the holidays. Volunteers areneededtofillmultipleroles.Ifyouareinterestedinhelping with making phone calls, sorting and organiz-ing gifts, or loading and unloading packages, make sure youcontactJessicaintheofficetoreceiveallthelatestinformation about Christmas preparations.

Aswebeginournewfiscalyear,CASAhasseenadownward trend in contributions. We are thankful to our loyal donors who give monthly and year after year. When you give, you are investing in your community! We ask that if you are not contributing currently, that you consider giving to CASA to assist in maintaining our services to seniors and homebound in Madison County. Every dollar counts!

More than 30 families have been helped so far this summer through the generous donations of fans and air conditioners. We continue to get calls requesting assistance with keeping cool, so far we have been able to meet the needs as requested. The requests usually come from seniors who have HVAC units that have goneoutandwithnoextrafundstofixorreplacetheirbroken units they need a way to beat the heat. Others call because they fear a utility bill that they will not be

able to afford. In these cases, a pedestal fan helps keep them cool and keep their thermostat set higher.

TeMP$ is on the Horizon

donations

Fans and a/C Units - Provide Some relief

Christmas in July

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Nonprofit OrgUS Postage

PAIDHuntsville, AL Permit #352

701 Andrew Jackson WayHuntsville, AL 35801

#78895031998

Volunteer with CASA - Upcoming Opportunities

Grab Bar and Handrail Installers - You can prevent costly falls! Volunteers set their own schedule. Volunteers are asked to supply the tools and CASA provides the grab bars and handrails. Training is provided. This is a major need at this time! Contact Tracyintheofficeifyouareinterestedinhelpingwiththis program.

Scheduled Opportunities: Tuesdays - CASA Community Garden, 12pm - 7pmWednesdays - CASA Community Garden, 8am - 3pm Thursdays - CASA Community Garden, 9am - 4pmFridays - CASA Community Garden, 7am - 2pm Saturdays - CASA Community Garden, 8am - 1pm Warehouse Work Nights, 1st Tuesdays 5pm - 7pm

ramp Painting - Volunteers are needed to help maintain CASA built wheelchair ramps by painting existing ramps with non-skid paint. This is a great opportunity for groups! Larger groups can split up at multiple locations for a full day of service. Complete an online group applicationorgiveJessicaacallintheoffice.

SAVE THE DATES

Garden Bash - September 29, 2015 (reSCHedULed)

5:00pm - 7:30pm at the CaSa Community Garden

Sunday, november 22, 2015

no Place Like Home 5k registration is now Open

early registration $15 until august 31st

casamadisoncty.org/noplacelikehome5K

A low country boil full of shrimp, sausage, corn, potatoes, and of course, some good old American lemonade (and beer and wine, of course)! Grab a few friends (men are welcome too!), throw on your favorite pair of flip flops and come on down for a great time.