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Show 'Project Independence' great aid to elderly Project Independence is a community service program in which volunteers call older persons living alone, or temporarily tem-porarily alone, every day at a . regular time to make sure they are all right. Voluntary service is a definite giving and receiving situation in which' resulting benefits can be tremendous. Project Independence is coordinated through the' Iron . County Voluntary Action Center and the Continuing School of Education at Southern Utah State College Volunteer Support Services. "The volunteer callers are the life line to the program, emphasized em-phasized Sandy DiCianno, Cedar City VISTA volunteer. "Being a volunteer means a person is willing to accept the responsibility respon-sibility of a daily phone call that he or she will arrange for a . temporary replacement. It means that Cedar City will be less apt to experience situations where an older person is disabled because no one knew they needed assistance. "Volunteers benefits amount to receiving such things as experience, ex-perience, personal growth, . recognition, achievement of personal goals, meaningful work f and on-the-job training," she ", continued. "Perhaps the greatest thing a volunteer receives is a sense of fulfillment and a warm 'thank you' from someone they've helped," stated DiCianno. The Telephone r Reassurance Program is currently operating around the country, both commercial com-mercial and voluntary and nonprofit. non-profit. Telephone reassurance shows that your community cares for your well-being. It's a community way of helping you live and work independently in your own home, but relieves your family and friends who cannot be near, because someone will be aware if you need help and can contact them. When you join the telephone reassurance program you help those who worry about you by minimizing the prblem. This is a free service to citizens of Iron County. Any person who lives alone is eligible. Project Independence isn't limited to so-called so-called "shut in's." Extremely . active persons can have accidents ac-cidents which in the later years can be quite serious if they go unnoticed. And it is nice to have someone to chat with a few minutes of each day. Most volunteers call only one individual. There is no guarantee, but often these one-to-one contacts grow into beautiful friendships involving visits, shopping trips and other social contacts, state Dicianno. Volunteers are always needed! A few minutes each day can help a senior citizen continue his or her contribution to the community com-munity through worry-free, independent living. Volunteers can make this possible. If you are interested in Project Independence or would like to become one of the important participants in the project please phone 586-4411 ext. 330. |