Intergenerational Volunteer Opportunities with AVHH
Ark Valley Helping Hands (AVHH) helps older adults age in place by connecting them with volunteers who provide friendly visits, yard clean up, rides, and grocery shopping. With all of the rain this year, the weeds have been challenging to keep up with. Older adults who can’t keep up with the physical demand of weeding are faced with fines or risk injury when trying to do it themselves. AVHH volunteers are working hard to keep up with the requests and we have gotten support from organizations outside the county, but we need support from local organizations to help Chaffee County’s older residents! A youth group from Castle Rock came out in June and spent a few hours with BV residents cleaning up their yards and listening to the stories of the women they were helping. It was hugely beneficial for both the teen volunteers and the older adults. The teens loved hearing about the lives of the women, all who have lived very interesting lives and don’t often get to share their stories with younger people which is the case for most of our AVHH members. Connecting with people of different generations helps foster respect and understanding across generations. And combining the experiences, wisdom and perspectives of people of all ages can improve lives and strengthen communities. In fact, older adults who participate in intergenerational activities often describe feeling increased life satisfaction, decreased social isolation, a stronger sense of community and improved quality of life. For younger people, engaging in intergenerational activities can lead to an improved sense of self, purpose and self-confidence. We are looking for volunteer groups to support AVHH members with weeding and yard clean up throughout the remainder of summer and into the fall. Our Summer Service days are a great way to get involved: Salida will be on Friday July 21st at 8a and BV will be on Saturday August 19th at 8a. If those dates don’t work, there are always projects we need help with. Contact Aubrey at info@avalleyhelpinghands.org or 719-530-1198 to get involved or sign up for our Summer Service Days!
