Winter 2018-2019
Erin Walker-Tolles
Dear friends and neighbors,
As 2018 draws to a close, we at Catholic Community Service are so very grateful for the support we receive from donors and partners all over Southeast Alaska. Because of their generous contributions, we are able to continue serving the needs of our most vulnerable elders, children, and families throughout the region. Please join me in thanking them!
We are also incredibly grateful to our volunteers, who work tirelessly in the kitchens of senior centers, delivering Meals on Wheels around their communities, and spending quality time with elders. We are humbled by the outpouring of love and support that these donations represent.
Please accept our thanks and best wishes for a joyous holiday season.
Warmly,
As 2018 draws to a close, we at Catholic Community Service are so very grateful for the support we receive from donors and partners all over Southeast Alaska. Because of their generous contributions, we are able to continue serving the needs of our most vulnerable elders, children, and families throughout the region. Please join me in thanking them!
- We are grateful to the many supporters of our Southeast Senior Services, which offers meals, transportation, and loving care in eleven different communities throughout Southeast. Each senior center is unique, and the services offered are tailored to the needs of the specific community. Without partners, this work would not be possible. And this year, we want to especially thank Sealaska, which donated $50,000 specifically to support Senior Centers throughout the region.
- We are grateful to all donors to our annual Light Up a Life campaign, which supports Hospice and Home Care of Juneau. We are especially grateful to The Juneau Community Foundation, which has provided ongoing support for the program, ensuring that citizens of Juneau continue to have access to these vital services.
- The past few years have seen a dramatic increase in child abuse cases that are referred to our S.A.F.E. Child Advocacy Center; in fact, referrals are up 59 percent in the past year alone. It became a challenge for our small staff to meet the needs of so many additional children. We are deeply grateful to the Benito & Frances C. Gaguine Foundation, which responded by generously funding an additional position so that staff could keep up with the increasing demand.
- Thank you to the Catholic parishes of the Diocese of Juneau and their members, who generously answered a special appeal this fall by contributing approximately $20,000 to help keep CCS programs working throughout the region.
We are also incredibly grateful to our volunteers, who work tirelessly in the kitchens of senior centers, delivering Meals on Wheels around their communities, and spending quality time with elders. We are humbled by the outpouring of love and support that these donations represent.
Please accept our thanks and best wishes for a joyous holiday season.
Warmly,
Erin Walker-Tolles
Executive Director, Catholic Community Service, Inc
Executive Director, Catholic Community Service, Inc
As you shop in Juneau this holiday season, you might notice that some wonderful local businesses are supporting our Light Up a Life campaign, which benefits Hospice and Home Care of Juneau (HHCJ). Look for signs by cash registers at Foodland, Super Bear, NAO, and Alaskan Dames. Make a donation when you check out and you can add a loved one’s name to an ornament that will be posted in the store. It’s a great way to share memories of loved ones while you donate to a great cause.
As a friend of CCS, you may have received a Light Up a Life card in the mail a few weeks ago. When you send in a donation of any amount, you can specify the name of a loved one that you would like to honor. We will add an ornament bearing that person’s name to a tree in our office, as well as to our online virtual tree. And if you donate $100 or more, you can opt to receive a porcelain ornament in the shape of a dove of peace.
As a friend of CCS, you may have received a Light Up a Life card in the mail a few weeks ago. When you send in a donation of any amount, you can specify the name of a loved one that you would like to honor. We will add an ornament bearing that person’s name to a tree in our office, as well as to our online virtual tree. And if you donate $100 or more, you can opt to receive a porcelain ornament in the shape of a dove of peace.
If you didn’t receive a card – or even if you did -- you can also join in by donating online. Visit our Light Up a Life page and honor the memory of someone you love who has passed on.
The annual Light Up a Life campaign is the biggest fundraiser of the year for hospice, which offers a broad range of services to patients, families and the community. Services in Juneau include a team of qualified professionals who provide compassionate care and support to patients at end-of-life in the comfort of their own home. Care focuses on symptom control, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to a patient’s and family’s needs. In addition to hospice services, HHCJ also provides home health services for patients who are home bound after surgery or injury, or are recovering from illnesses such cardiac problems or stroke. Like all our services, HHCJ is available to anyone in Juneau, regardless of ability to pay. To find out more, call 463-6111.
The annual Light Up a Life campaign is the biggest fundraiser of the year for hospice, which offers a broad range of services to patients, families and the community. Services in Juneau include a team of qualified professionals who provide compassionate care and support to patients at end-of-life in the comfort of their own home. Care focuses on symptom control, pain management, and emotional and spiritual support expressly tailored to a patient’s and family’s needs. In addition to hospice services, HHCJ also provides home health services for patients who are home bound after surgery or injury, or are recovering from illnesses such cardiac problems or stroke. Like all our services, HHCJ is available to anyone in Juneau, regardless of ability to pay. To find out more, call 463-6111.
Great news for Juneau seniors and their caregivers: The Bridge Adult Day Program provides stimulation and activities to seniors who can benefit from socialization, especially those who may be suffering from physical limitations and/or cognitive impairment. All seniors (60+) are welcome to enjoy the comfortable, friendly, and safe environment at the Bridge. The staff provides professional care and a host of activities, including music, games, community outings, even visits from gentle loving pets. Younger people can also qualify to attend, depending on their individual needs.
The Bridge is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm and serves lunch every week day. For many families, the Bridge is a godsend, taking care of elders and providing respite to caregivers who may be at work during the day. In fact, the Bridge can sometimes make it possible for a senior to continue to live at home instead of moving to a nursing home or other facility. Here are some comments about the Bridge:
The Bridge is located at 1803 Glacier Highway in Juneau. Call 463-6171 to learn more, set up a visit, or enroll.
The Bridge is open Monday through Friday from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm and serves lunch every week day. For many families, the Bridge is a godsend, taking care of elders and providing respite to caregivers who may be at work during the day. In fact, the Bridge can sometimes make it possible for a senior to continue to live at home instead of moving to a nursing home or other facility. Here are some comments about the Bridge:
- “Without your service, my brother would be institutionalized in a nursing home far from family and friends.”
- “Couldn’t think of a better program for both of us. Dad enjoys the activities and I know he’s safe while I’m at work.”
- “The staff is great and exceedingly helpful.”
The Bridge is located at 1803 Glacier Highway in Juneau. Call 463-6171 to learn more, set up a visit, or enroll.
Local elders enjoying activities at the Bridge.
Regional Coordinator Gail Fenumiai (left) and Site Manager (right) Renee Hughes watch as winning tickets are drawn.
Congratulations to five lucky people who won prizes in the recent raffle to benefit the Juneau Senior Center! The drawing was held on December 14 at the center. The following lucky ticket buyers won these prizes:
First prize ($500 cash): Laura Kurt
Second prize (holiday quilt): Luann McVey
Third prize (Dale De Armond print): Kristi Peel
Fourth prize (Polish pottery): Nico Bus
Fifth prize (Arnie Weimer print): Jennifer Knaggs
Congratulations to all our winners! And if you didn’t win, you’ll be happy to know that you have a chance to participate in our new regionwide raffle, starting now! A huge thank you to Alaska Airlines for providing the exciting prize for the raffle: a pair of round-trip tickets to anywhere that Alaska Airlines flies! The raffle will benefit all of our senior centers around the region. Buy your ticket today! Every purchase supports the mission of Southeast Senior Services, which is to promote the health, independence and quality of life of seniors in Southeast Alaska through the delivery of quality services and the development of community resources.
Tickets cost $10 each and are available at all the senior centers. Each center benefits directly from its own raffle ticket sales, so be sure to support your local center by buying a raffle ticket, or three! The drawing will be held April 1, 2019.
Below: Rhoda Walker (bottom) poses with the holiday quilt she made and donated to the raffle, along with Site Manager Renee Hughes (top).
First prize ($500 cash): Laura Kurt
Second prize (holiday quilt): Luann McVey
Third prize (Dale De Armond print): Kristi Peel
Fourth prize (Polish pottery): Nico Bus
Fifth prize (Arnie Weimer print): Jennifer Knaggs
Congratulations to all our winners! And if you didn’t win, you’ll be happy to know that you have a chance to participate in our new regionwide raffle, starting now! A huge thank you to Alaska Airlines for providing the exciting prize for the raffle: a pair of round-trip tickets to anywhere that Alaska Airlines flies! The raffle will benefit all of our senior centers around the region. Buy your ticket today! Every purchase supports the mission of Southeast Senior Services, which is to promote the health, independence and quality of life of seniors in Southeast Alaska through the delivery of quality services and the development of community resources.
Tickets cost $10 each and are available at all the senior centers. Each center benefits directly from its own raffle ticket sales, so be sure to support your local center by buying a raffle ticket, or three! The drawing will be held April 1, 2019.
Below: Rhoda Walker (bottom) poses with the holiday quilt she made and donated to the raffle, along with Site Manager Renee Hughes (top).
Congratulations to community members in the Ketchikan Gateway Borough served by the Saxman/Ketchikan Senior Center! The community came together in support of senior services by raising local matching funds toward the cost of an additional, much needed bus. The new bus will ensure ongoing access to transportation services for seniors over the age of 60 and qualified people with disabilities of any age. It is exciting for everyone at the senior center to receive such broad community support! We are grateful to all the individuals and businesses that contributed to the cause -- THANK YOU!
Working at CCS is a great way to not only earn a good living and benefits, it’s also a great way to serve your community! A wide variety of positions is available throughout Southeast Alaska. Open positions vary depending on location; the openings include nurses, physical therapists, site managers, office staff, kitchen staff, and drivers. Visit our Job Postings page for details and application instructions.
CCS is truly a great place to work! Please join us in congratulating these employees who have helped their communities through more than ten years of service with CCS:
Tina Martin: 32 years
Marianne Mills: 29 years
Dale Morris: 25 years
Wilfred Skeek: 23 years
Elizabeth Howard: 19 years
Tim Salter: 18 years
Maxine Nakamura: 12 years
Carol Dejka: 11 years
Renee Hughes: 11 years
Lorraine McDermott: 11 years
Bernice Metcalf: 11 years
Sherry Anderson: 10 years
Peter Klein: 10 years
Note: At CCS, all employees are treated equally regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, religion, national origin, genetic information, status as a veteran, marital status, or disability.
CCS is truly a great place to work! Please join us in congratulating these employees who have helped their communities through more than ten years of service with CCS:
Tina Martin: 32 years
Marianne Mills: 29 years
Dale Morris: 25 years
Wilfred Skeek: 23 years
Elizabeth Howard: 19 years
Tim Salter: 18 years
Maxine Nakamura: 12 years
Carol Dejka: 11 years
Renee Hughes: 11 years
Lorraine McDermott: 11 years
Bernice Metcalf: 11 years
Sherry Anderson: 10 years
Peter Klein: 10 years
Note: At CCS, all employees are treated equally regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, religion, national origin, genetic information, status as a veteran, marital status, or disability.
