“Many years ago, I remember speaking with a woman about meeting new people. I clearly recall her saying ‘I’ve already got enough friends.’” Marjorie Seltzer recalls this incident with bewilderment. “Not everyone has to be lonely, old and stubborn,” she says.
Marjorie is not the kind of person to pass up an opportunity to learn more about the world or the people in it. As one of only six women admitted to a Stanford University masters program at the time, Marjorie broke barriers to further her education with a masters in communication and teaching. She has learned a lot, experienced a lot and known a lot of people in her life, but she believes there is always room for more.
Still, even Marjorie admits that she almost missed out on meeting her friend Megan Larson had she not been “stuck” in a rehabilitation center two years ago. “When you’re used to being very independent, it can seem odd to be connected with a complete stranger,” says Marjorie. However, she is so grateful that Alameda Friendly Visitors (AFV) connected her with Megan who has become a close friend.
Despite an age difference of more than 50 years, Marjorie and Megan have quite a bit in common. Both women come from creative backgrounds focused on communication and storytelling. Marjorie is a writer and Megan is a director for a design firm that teaches classes on communication and storytelling.
“I’ve learned so much from Marjorie during the past two years”, says Megan. “AFV allowed me to connect with an incredible person who has amazing stories to tell.”
One of Megan and Marjorie’s favorite outings was a trip to the Peninsula to visit Marjorie’s former residences. Having once lived in Atherton and Palo Alto, Marjorie had not been back to the area in almost 50 years. “It was so fun,” says Megan. “We were able to walk around both houses just before they were about to be renovated. They were largely the same as when Marjorie had lived there and brought back a lot of wonderful memories for her.”
A former art history major, Megan was thrilled when Marjorie showed her a neighborhood and community pool club built by the famous developer Joseph Eichler. “Megan wasn’t aware there was a whole community of Eichler homes in Palo Alto,” says Marjorie. “It was fun to share that with her.”
With Megan’s first child due in only a few weeks, Marjorie is excited to be a part of this momentous occasion. “With my own grandchildren not being in the area, I can’t wait to meet this baby and share in Megan’s joy!”
During the pandemic Marjorie and Megan have kept in touch with frequent phone calls and socially distanced visits. They are looking forward to spending more in-person time together as society starts to open up again.
Remembering her encounter many years ago with the woman who already “had enough friends,” Marjorie can’t help but feel sad for that woman. “Meeting new people and having new social interactions are so important for energy, ideas, and fun, new experiences. It’s a shame that some people miss out on that.”
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If you or someone you know might be interested in receiving a Friendly Visitor, please call Jane Neal at 510-748-0342 or email friendlyvisitors@sbcglobal.net.
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MR. D. RECEIVES MEALS
BY PERI DRAKE
Mr. D. contacted me in December. He recently had heart surgery and was recuperating. He needed meals because he couldn’t cook for himself very well. He was not employed and couldn’t afford to pay for his meals. Thanks to our generous donors, we were able to deliver meals to him 7 days a week at no charge. About 6 weeks later, he called to say he no longer needed the meals. He was better now and able to cook for himself. Not only that, but he was employed and wanted to make a donation to AMOW so that we could help others in need.
It’s stories like these that make me so grateful for our big-hearted donors who enable us to serve meals to people, regardless of their ability to pay. Especially during these difficult times when so many are in need, your continued support is greatly appreciated.
Peri Drake
Director
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HOW CAN I HELP?
Donate your car
Remember us in your will
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Just click on the Support Us link and then the bright red Donate Now button in the bottom-left corner of the page. Contributions can securely use PayPal or a credit card.
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We are happy to welcome Jane Neal as the new Director of Alameda Friendly Visitors! Jane is a long-time Alameda resident with a background in marketing and consulting. As a marketing professional, she has led communications efforts across a wide range of industries and audiences. Her organizational skills and personality stand out and make her well-suited for this position.
Alameda Friendly Visitors is a program in which volunteers are matched with interested residents for weekly visits. As the heart of our service is companionship and the time spent together can vary depending on the recipient’s interests and mobility. Feelings of loneliness and isolation are replaced with a new friend, hope, and a visit to look forward to.
Unfortunately, during the pandemic, these visits have been changed to phone calls, cards, and drive-by waves. While not as enjoyable for both volunteer and recipient, our volunteers are still maintaining contact and enriching lives.
We would like to thank Joyce Leighton for her many years of service to this program. She will be missed, but we hope she enjoys her retirement!
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Christmas presents for Alameda Meals on Wheels participants...
Thank you so much for the many gifts!
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Hi, my name is Lorna Williams and I volunteer delivering meals with Alameda Meals on Wheels. I knew when Covid hit last spring that I wanted to do something to help others. I tried out some other volunteering opportunities before contacting Peri at AMOW. AMOW works best for me because I enjoy driving and finding my way around the island. However, more than that, I enjoy the community aspect and connecting with our seniors. Our seniors have great stories to share, have wonderful jokes, are very appreciative, and need to connect with people, especially during the isolation that Covid brought. I make regular deliveries to Anne B. Diament Plaza and one of the people I deliver to is Joyce Anderson, a 30 year resident of the senior living facility. She has lived a rich and varied life. Born in Alameda, she attended Alameda High School. She also spent many years working for missions in Africa where she met many important people, including presidents. She enjoys sharing memories of her travels and experiences in Africa with visitors. I asked Joyce what she especially appreciates about AMOW and here is her reply: |
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“I’ve been meaning to call AMOW to say thanks so I’m glad I can now. I really appreciate the meal each day, but also the extra little bits, the cards drawn by children, the gifts at the holidays, and the knitted hat recently. I love chatting with the people who deliver. One man brings his children, sits, listens to my stories, and chats with me for a while. His daughter and son are so sweet. When you don’t talk to anyone for three or four days, a visit is so nice.”
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DINE & DONATE FOR
ALAMEDA MEALS ON WHEELS
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Over many years, Alameda Meals on Wheels has organized Dine and Donate fundraisers with many of our favorite local restaurants. Community-minded restaurant businesses that would like to support AMOW have dedicated a day where they make a donation to help keep hot nutritious meals delivered daily to our homebound neighbors based on a percentage of the business they do that day. This is a particularly fun way to raise funds in support of the program.
In this time, after a year of living with the pandemic, the shutdowns and health protocols have taken a toll on both our restaurant partners as well as our daily meal program. AMOW has had to cancel our major summer winetasting fundraiser for the second year in a row and we are searching for additional ways to fill the funding gap created by that cancellation. A stepped-up schedule of Dine and Donate fundraisers seemed particularly timely because it is a way to raise additional funds and also drive additional business to restaurants as they are able to open up more. This year, we are planning to schedule approximately two Dine and Donate fundraisers each month.
We would like to send a big thank you to our restaurant partners who have already sponsored Dine and Donate fundraisers this year. They include Park Street Tavern, Cinema Grill (twice), East Ocean Seafood Restaurant, Asena, and C’era Una Volta.
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Save these upcoming DINE & DONATE events
on your calendar!
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If you would like to be notified of upcoming events, please send your email address to alamedamealsonwheels@gmail.com or call the AMOW office at 510-865-6131.
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Please click on DONATE NOW button to make a secure donation to Alameda Meals on Wheels. |
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Or,
Mail Checks to:
Alameda Meals on Wheels
PO Box 2534
Alameda, CA 94501
WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
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