Neighbors Care Alliance
Changing Seasons
By Blake Lawson , former PCOA Neighbors Care Alliance Coordinator By now the weather has likely cooled considerably and the heat of summer has given way to lovely fall temperatures; a welcome changing of the seasons. Life too is made up of many different seasons, some more tolerable and enjoyable than others. As you may recall from the first article I contributed to the Never Too Late , my wife, son, and I moved to Tucson just over a year ago from Tulsa, Oklahoma. This is for my family and me a season of much (unexpected and unforeseen) change. As of September 24, 2021, I resigned my position at PCOA and moved back to Oklahoma to tend to the pressing needs of my family. My time at PCOA was filled with goodness and joy and I will miss both my coworkers as well as all my wonderful NCA friends. Despite my sadness in leaving, I am filled with confidence that PCOA’s new Neighbors Care Alliance Coordinator, Mary O’Donoghue will hit the ground running and take the agency’s efforts seamlessly into the future! All the best, Blake Lawson , former PCOA Neighbors Care Alliance Coordinator
By Mary O’Donoghue , PCOA Neighbors Care Alliance Coordinator What a pleasure it was to have worked with Blake for several days and to learn so much about the Neighbors Care Alliance (NCA) and all the good work being done! I look forward to partnering with the NCA programs and joining in the effort to strengthen our community connections and programs. To introduce myself, I recently moved to Arizona. As a Midwesterner, I have always been drawn to Arizona for its diverse terrain. I have visited many times to enjoy hiking, trail running, cycling and many outdoor adventures. I am excited to be living in the Tucson area and to discover all it has to offer! I am passionate about building strong community collaborations so we can care for our residents needing support, and by developing opportunities to volunteer we can strengthen our connections. As a dedicated volunteer myself and as a professional who has worked extensively with nonprofits, I appreciate that by coming together we make our communities a better place to live, work and play. I am thankful for all the warm welcoming wishes, and I look forward to meeting many of you in the months to come.
For information about volunteering or starting a Neighbors Helping Neighbors program, please contact Mary O’Donoghue at mo’donoghue@pcoa.org, or call PCOA at (520) 258-5062. assisting older adults so they can remain in their homes for as long as possible. Volunteers in these 19 programs helping aging adults with everything from transportation to friendly visits and phone calls, to errands, light housekeeping, and yard work. The Neighbors Care Alliance (NCA) is an association of volunteer programs Mary O’Donoghue, PCOA Neighbors Care Alliance Coordinator and Blake Lawson, former PCOA Neighbors Care Alliance Coordinator
Need help or information? Call the PCOA Helpline at (520) 790-7262.
November 2021, Never Too Late | Page 25
Pima Council on Aging
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