An elderly woman called a local church two years ago, because she needed help with transportation and running errands that she could no longer do by herself.

This woman’s story was relayed to Betty Ruppel of Sacred Heart Parish, because Betty was our parish representative to an organization just then getting started, Interfaith Caregivers of Medina County. Betty found a younger woman in the parish who was willing to help the old lady out — but when the young woman showed up to run errands, she got a stiff welcome.

"Her first reaction was, `Boy, this old woman sure is gruff,’ Betty recalled, "because this was not always a pleasant person." The helping relationship seemed off to an unpromising start.

 "But as she continued to help her with her laundry and errands — she would go once a week, and she still does — and the two ended up becoming very good friends," Betty said. "(The older woman) has been in and out of the hospital and a nursing home, but she always bounces back. I think she truly relies on this volunteer now, more like a daughter than a volunteer."

This is the sort of thing that seems to happen often with the Caregivers organization. Now affiliated with the national Faith In Action organization, Interfaith Caregivers of Medina County has grown from a start of eight or nine churches to its present 20 member churches in its almost three years of existence.

Volunteers contributed 9,327 hours of helping others last year — at Sacred Heart, it was 537 hours.

Interfaith Caregivers is a network of volunteers who "nurture independence, dignity and quality of life in a spirit of trust and accountability," according to its mission statement. The people who join this work can help by driving folks to the doctor’s office, providing a meal, doing work around the house, or just by being available for a friendly talk on the telephone once in a while

Preference for service is given to Medina County residents, 60 years and older. If you want to learn more, call the parish office.

For Betty, a Wadsworth native who has long been involved in community volunteer work, Faith In Action is a true calling. Last October, the group held its county training program for volunteers at Sacred Heart Church; training sessions are held three times a year.

Sacred Heart parish secretary Donna Sponsler was a Caregivers volunteer, along with her daughter Amanda, when Betty asked them to visit a man whose family had moved out of state.

 "It got to be such a close relationship that there were tears when he ended up moving south to be with his daughter," Betty said. "They would take him out to dinner, and celebrate his birthday together. They really bonded."

That is what this group is all about. — LCH

[more news]