GVSS OCTOBER 2023 NEWSLETTER

Assisting Grimes area folks to stay in their home since February 19, 2011!

Grimes Volunteer Support Services Newsletter

OCTOBER 2023

Mission Statement-To provide, without charge, needed services to individuals in the Grimes area assisting them to remain in their homes.

President's Report

Hello again from Mike at GVSS.

Boy time sure goes by fast. Here we are in the month of October-a month of pumpkins, apple cider and candy corn.

These past nine months of 2023 sure have slipped by and we are approaching the holiday season. Holiday displays are already out in the stores.

We at GVSS are not slowing down and continue to strive to get everyone to their scheduled appointments or visits to family members.

Please remember that GVSS is an all volunteer organization and nothing gets done without our volunteers.

If you know someone that would like to join our fantastic group, please ask them to contact us and sign up. They can sign up on-line or stop by the office to fill out an application.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 515-986-5355.

Have a great fall season!

Mike Bleskacek, GVSS President

GVSS OUT AND ABOUT

GVSS recently sponsored a hole at the 18th annual Grimes Chamber and Economic Development golf outing. Pictured below -- Annette Horner, Gloria Perry and BobbiJo Wolfe. Chamber staff members are volunteers for GVSS and we also have employees from several Chamber businesses volunteering for GVSS. Always a fun event to participate in.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Special thank you to the City of Grimes for their continued suppost of GVSS.

Pictured: GVSS Pres. Mike Bleskacek, City Council members Andrew Borcherding, David Gish, Laurie DePhillips and City Administrator Jake Anderson.

We appreciate the support the city gives us and in helping us continue to provide services to the residents of Grimes.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED--WE NEED DRIVERS TO GET AREA RESIDENTS TO MEDICAL AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS.

You don't have to be retired to volunteer. We have lots of volunteers who still work but make time to volunteer for GVSS.

They make a huge difference.

IF INTERESTED IN VOLUNTEERING AS A DRIVER, PLEASE CONTACT US AT 404 SE 2nd St or call us at 515-986-5355. You can also download an application from our website: www.GrimesVss.com

GVSS is in need of VOLUNTEERS to assist clients with snow removal.

This year we will be assigning volunteers to an individual residence which gives you flexibility on the time frame you work out with the client.

FAMILIES! This is a great opportunity to work as a family team to help others. AND teach your kids to pay it forward by helping others in the community.

If we do not have enough volunteers to cover individual clients, we will have to put clients on a list until we do have a volunteer for them.

If interested please call 515-986-5355.

GVSS STATISTICS

August Report:

Drivers - 29, Trips - 214, Repair/Maintenance - 2, Yard - 21, Total Volunteers - 34, Miles Driven - 2410, and 368 hours providing service, organizing and adminstering the program.

September Report:

Drivers -29, Trips - 231 , Repair/Maintenance - 0 , Yard- 0, Total Volunteers - 29, 2,187 miles driven and 171- hours provided of service and organizing and administering the programs.

Thank You, Corporate Sponsors

Please tell them thanks for supporting GVSS!

Supportive Heroes

($1,000 +)

Polk County

Gabus Automotive Group

OPUS Foundation

Golden Rule Plumbing, Heating, Cooling and Electric

Walmart

Bankers Trust

Community Choice

Credit Union

Harvest Bible Chapel Church

Sammons Institutional Group

State Farm In surance-Andrea Sabus

Total Family Eye Care Care

Midwest Heritage Bank

City of Grimes

Supportive Partners

($500 - $999.99)

Kennybrook Village

MS Moments

Vision Bank

Supportive Friends

($250 - $499.99)

BDI Signs

Community Greetings

Supportive

Neighbors

($100-$249.99)

Assumption Women's Club

Miller Fidler & Hinke

Presbyterian Women

St. Peter Lutheran Church

Godfather's Pizza

Shade Tree Auto, Subway

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO DONATED TO GVSS IN 2022:

Alicia Watkins, Anne Wandrey

Bill & Rene Lego

Charles & Janet Skellenger

Cindy Bullard, Cindy Manning

Connie Hartin, Cynthia Kreklau

Delores Anderson, Bickford Family

Denise Hansen, Diane Moon

Ethel Sturdevant, Gloria Perry

Harold & Eileen Honeck

Irene Buddenberg, Janice Kubovich

Jay & Gloria Brewer

John & Katelyn Oolman

John Allender, Kristi Brokaw

Kristine Voorhees

Larry & Gayle Peters

Linda Becker, Lisha Steffey

Louise Hauger, Maradee Henry

Marc & Robin Hyland

Marie Hutcheson, Max Boderman

Mike & Eileen Bleskacek

Norman Wilson, Patricia Douglas

Quentin Greenough

Richard Lindgren

Robert & Donna Moore

Ron & Sheila Oolman

Ryleah & Alex Cross

Sally Altier, Sandra Williams

Susan Ballard

Terry & Michelle Hicks

Tom & Cindy Armstrong

Tom & Susan Stone

Tom Letsch & Mary Claseman

Vicky Burch, Wanda Armstrong

Join These Great Volunteers At GVSS

Aaron Plaskas, Alan Hulstein

Amor Doherty, Andrea Hodapp

Andrea Sabus, Ann Musfeldt

Annette Horner, April Dawson

Becky Landals, Beth Balzer, Bill Lego

Bob Mueller, BobbiJo Wolfe

Bree Townsend

Brenda Dunphy, Brian Buethe

Caleb Herman, Carol Lesher

Chad Ewalt, Charles Velasquez

Chris Schmidt, Cirrinity Herman

Clint Dudley, Collin Hodapp

Cyle Taylor, Dale Thompson

Don McClelland

Drue Cavanaugh, Erika Sellers

Gary Adams, Gloria Perry

Greg Means, Halsey Scales

Harold Honeck

Harvest Bible Chapel

Isaac Hodapp

Jack (John) Flaherty

Jacque Strange, Jane Hartnett

Jay Brewer, Jessika Klaus

Joe Christiansen

Joe Herman, John Oolman

Jordan Bray, Joshua Stott

Judy Strotman, Julie Bindel

Katy Clark, Kris Campbell

Larry Adams, Laura Brandner

Loree Herman Lorraine Shatava Madison Taiber Madonna Hughes Marlene Minshew, Margarett Lacona

Martin Dyson, Mary Claseman

Michael Bleskacek

Michael Vaughn, Mike Levenhagen Natalie Clark, Nicholas Lees

Rachel Dahm, Rene Lego

Rhonda Straight

Ron Oolman, Russ Lickteig

Ryleah Cross, Sarah Henrici

Tim Dempsey, Tom Harris

Tom Letsch, Tom Shatava

Tony Sonius, Vicki Templeton

Wanda Armstrong, Wayne Belner

And we still have room for more!!

GVSS COORDINATORS

Mike Bleskacek, 55+

515-491-8294

Wanda Armstrong, Appreciation

515-661-8282

Tom Letsch, Snow & Lawn Patrol

515-321-7052

Your name could appear here, DME Coordinator.

2023

GVSS BOARD MEMBERS

AND OFFICERS

BobbiJo Wolfe 515-480-6270

Clint Dudley 515-979-6578

Drue Cavanaugh 515-490-4967

Gloria Perry, Financial Secretary

515-681-2861

Jane Hartnett 563-608-5817

Tim Dempsey 515-306-0009

Tom Letsch, Treasurer

515-321-7052

Loree Herman, Secretary

316-312-8802

Wanda Armstrong, Vice President

515-661-8282

Mike Bleskacek, President

515-491-8294

me.bleskacel@gmail.com

DAILY MEALS FOR SENIORS

All seniors are invited to congregate meals served daily at the Grimes Senior Center at 410 SE Main St. in the Grimes Community Complex. The Senior Center is open Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and lunch is served at 11:30 p.m.

For reservations, please call 986-5747 by noon the day before - and by noon Friday for a Monday meal. No fees for meals for those 60 and over; however, donations are accepted and appreciated.

Come for the food, friends and fun!

Need to borrow a piece of equipment?

Give GVSS a call!

When you have need of a piece of durable medical equipment, please give us a call. If we have what you need in stock, we'll be happy to loan it to you without charge for as long as you may need it.

We have crutches, walkers, canes, shower chairs and benches, quad canes, manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, bath scales, elevated toilet seats, bed rails, toilet safety rails, and power lift recliners.

GVSS will clean, repair (if necessary), inventory, maintain and provide at no charge, loan of equipment to our clients who have a need. If you have equipment you'd like to donate, give us a call. We can schedule a time for you to bring it to the office or we'll come and pick it up.

Thanks for your support!

GVSS Office Hours

Come talk to us in person between 9:30 and 11:30 AM, Monday, Wednesday or Friday or call and make an appointment.

We are located at 404 SE 2nd Street, Suite 100 in the Grimes Governors District.

GVSS has been providing services to Grimes area residents since February 2011. Since then we have provided more than 23,872 trips, driven over 306,065 miles and contributed over 48,853 hours of service to organize and provide assistance to residents of the community.

GVSS has over 210 clients and over 60 volunteers on our rosters.