July 14, 2021

The Heyman Interages®Center is a program of JCA® - Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington.

THE INTERAGES CONNECTOR STAYING CONNECTED WHILE STAYING HOME

Staying in Touch Hello JCA Interages Volunteers, We hope this finds you cool. We are exploring new segments to bring you to the Interages Connector, with interesting and timely content such as the upcoming Doctor's Corner. If you have ideas for segments you would like to see in the Interages Connector, please let us know.

We would love to learn about you and your volunteer experience as well as your ideas for programming and partnering with other organizations. To share your thoughts, please contact Indira Dingledine at idingledine@accessjca.org or (301) 255 - 4239.

Volunteer Highlight  Rich Burger grew up near New York City. He attended Bradley University in Peoria, IL majoring in psychology/social services, and then received an MSW from the University of Illinois. He moved to the DC area in 1979 for employment then went on to receive an MBA in IT Management. Rich spent most of his career as an IRS employee supporting IT and data needs. Rich and wife, Sue, are currently hosting their youngest son and his wife, their 14-month-old grandson, and dog while they await moving into a new home. He and Sue have 35-year-old twin sons as well.   He began volunteering with JCA a few months before the Pandemic as a reading and math volunteer assistant in a first-grade class at Harmony Hills Elementary.   During the pandemic Rich participated in Interages' virtual reading tutor training, which he feels helped prepare him to assist students navigate challenges they encounter. He has been meeting virtually weekly with first graders from Brown Station Elementary to read books and lead them in some get-your-jiggles-out exercises, corresponds almost weekly with a middle school pen pal, and has participated in teen book club meetings. A highlight of his Brown Station experience was the wonderful thank-you pictures and messages the students sent him at the end of the school year. He hopes to be back in the schools in the fall.   Rich loves many types of music. He plays guitar, piano, bass, some mandolin, some wind instruments, and has been a tenor in a Barbershop Chorus for 15 years. He hikes and bikes regularly and attends fitness classes or jogs or exercises frequently. He has served as the building and grounds volunteer at his temple. Rich and his wife look forward to more foreign travel. He contributes financially to JCA and is grateful both for his opportunities as a volunteer and for all the wonderful work JCA volunteers and staff do to serve our community!

SHARE From A Distance SHARE From A Distance provides meaningful connections between young people and older adults.

JOIN SHARE FROM A DISTANCE AND BECOME A PEN PAL Are you or someone you know interested in being matched with a young person to exchange letters back and forth? Build a relationship with a young person during this difficult time when people of ALL ages are feeling isolated and eager to make connections. Only first names are given and all correspondence is filtered through JCA staff. Even as more and more activities open up and students return to in-person classes in the fall, it is rewarding to make these "old-fashioned" connections with a young person and share perspectives as we move into post-pandemic life. You can choose to write to a student via email or postal mail. We need more older adults to match with the many interested students. For more info. or to sign up, please email sharefromadistance@accessjca.org. Thanks for your help and support!

Here is a message from one of our SHARE From A Distance pen pals. She has a great idea for her Bat Mitzvah project. For the older and wiser among us: My name is Ella and I would love to interview you about your life experiences for my Bat Mitzvah Project! If you are interested in being interviewed over Zoom, please fill out the google form below. After the interview, you will receive a link to a video recording that you can share with your family and friends. This is a great opportunity for the younger generations to have a glimpse of what life was like for you! Thank you! If you are interested in being interviewed, please fill in this sign up form.

Student Volunteer Highlight

"My name is Dhruv. I am a 6th grader. I have been volunteering in the book club with JCA since last Fall. I like that we can engage in fun and stimulating discussions with seniors. This opportunity has helped me expand my intellectual horizon."

Interages Interview Interages was so pleased with the Zoom interview conducted by a young person of Interages Founder Austin Heyman that we started a regular interview program. The students earn Service Learning hours for their time preparing and interviewing. Previous interviews are available on our website. In this issue, we highlight Joanna, a dedicated 7th-grade volunteer who interviewed Terrie Manchester and Ann Jackman, Interages volunteers, and published authors of the book, As Best Friends Do: Will and Rosa Meet the Grandreaders. This book explores a child's perspective in the Interages Grandreaders' program based on Terrie and Ann's volunteer experience. The book is available on Amazon. To view the interview, click here.

Thanks to the vaccine, Interages staff happily gathered for a summer meeting. We look forward to providing meaningful fall volunteer opportunities. Left to right back row: Christina Williams, Kathi Dennis, Phyllis Solomon, Rachel Lanman, Indira Dingledine, Valerie Chatfield-Smith. Front row: Dana Adams Tate, Veronica Penaranda.

Enjoy a documentary Now out in theaters! Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go for It is a 2021 American documentary film directed, produced, and edited by Mariem Pérez Riera. For over 70 years, Rita Moreno has inspired audiences with her performances, the film follows her journey from childhood to stardom had its world premiere at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival on January 29, 2021. To read a review, Click Here.

COOLING CENTERS The City of Rockville operates four cooling centers when the temperature hits 95-plus degrees, or when a code red air quality alert is issued for Montgomery County. The centers are located at the following facilities: Lincoln Park Community Center,  Thomas Farm Community Center, Twinbrook Community Recreation Center, The post Rockville Operates Four Cooling Centers When Heat Tops 95 Degrees appeared first on Montgomery Community Media.

Just 4 Fun

“Before you marry a person, you should first make them use a computer with slow Internet to see who they really are.” – Will Ferrell

For your convenience, past issues of the JCA Interages Connector are available on the JCA Interages website.

JCA Interages Staff Dana Adams Tate – Program Coordinator dtate@accessjca.org Kathleen Dennis – Senior Director, kdennis@accessjca.org Indira Dingledine – Volunteer Manager, idingledine@accessjca.org Rachel Lanman – Program Coordinator, rlanman@accessjca.org Veronica Penaranda - Program Coordinator, veronica.penaranda@accessjca.org Phyllis Solomon - Program Coordinator, psolomon@accessjca.org

Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington "Jewish Council for the Aging", "JCA", "Helping All Seniors Thrive" and "Interages" are registered trademarks of the Jewish Council for the Aging of Greater Washington, Inc. Visit us at AccessJCA.org.© 2021 Jewish Council for the Aging® All rights reserved.