Support for students who will help seniors

Marilyn Garbutt, Thrift Shop volunteer, presents the Community Care bursary to Megan Merchant, PECI student.

It was a proud day for the volunteers at Community Care’s Thrift Shop, downtown Picton.  At the recent graduation of Prince Edward Collegiate Institute students, Marilyn Garbutt, one of the Thrift Shop volunteers was there to present a $500 bursary to a graduating student entering a program that will support seniors.
Marilyn Garbutt spends every Tuesday in the Thrift Shop with other volunteers who sort through the boxes, clean and price the items and wait on customers.
The staff of the Thrift Shop is entirely made up of volunteers. Almost 80 volunteers provide customer service, sort, clean, repair and price the goods.  It’s entirely volunteer-run and all of the money raised stays right in the County.
The funds raised at the Thrift Shop are used to support the programs for seniors that are offered by Community Care.  Several years ago the board of directors established the bursary, as a way of encouraging young people to seek a career working with seniors.  The 2010 recipient of the award was Megan Merchant.
Prince Edward Community Care for Seniors has been supporting seniors to live independently at home since 1977.  Services include Meals on Wheels, escorted transportation to medical and other appointments, noon-time dinners for seniors, foot care clinics, help with forms, rural route reassurance and telephone reassurance programs, home maintenance and respite programs.  The agency is partly funded by the Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care through the Local Health Integration Network and supported by donations and community fundraising efforts.
For more information call Community Care at 613-476-7493 or www.communitycareforseniors.org