The names drawn in the raffle which ended August 12 are:
 
    $50 Wal-Mart Merchandise Card, Lois Poland, Ruston, LA
    Barn Wood Bird House, Bull Shoals, AR
    Stained Glass Sun Catcher, Dana Cullum, Mountain Home, AR
    Mayan Design Bowl, A. J. Price, Mountain Home, AR
    $500 SleepMart Merchandise Certificate, Dot Gabl
 
The winners have all been notified.  Thank you all who took chances and those who donated these wonderful prizes.

On August 12, Kindness was privileged to have The Twin Lakes Playhouse present a benefit performance on its behalf of The Cemetery Club starring Carol Eberhard as Ida, Darcy Sherrod as Lucille, Debby Stanuch as Doris and John Eberhard as Sam. The minor role of Mildred is played by Yvonne Gehrke. The director is Deb Smith.

It is billed as a comedy. And there are plenty of laughs. But, for those unfamiliar with this Ivan Menchell work, few would expect so much pathos on a very cleverly-designed set. Our audience was divided between those who felt empathy and identified with the four characters in the play and those expressing sympathy for them.

It’s hard to imagine any but the very recently widowed not enjoying this play. A story of the human condition, it points out our continuing need for connection and human touch after the death of a spouse. A must-see and a great way to support our own local treasure-trove of talent.

We are extremely grateful to the TLP, its leaders, the actors and all involved in the play. We were very sorry that all who wanted to attend in support of Kindness could not because the tickets were sold out two days before the play.

If you could not attend the Benefit for Kindness Performance, you can still see the play each weekend through the end of August. For the performance schedule, go to the Twin Lakes Playhouse website:

http://www.twinlakesplayhouse.org

Click on The Cemetery Club.

The economy has been very rough on Kindness’ financial status. Right now we are wondering if our agency will join the earlier predicted 40,000 nonprofits that will go down the tube because of the recession. However, our phones keep ringing and it’s business as usual as we continue to coordinate the time and talents offered by our volunteers with the needs of people who need rides to medical care, the grocery store, and the beauty and barber shops.

Our board members keep trying to find funding. They are discovering that it’s not an easy task in a down economy. Some of our loyal donors are sending small amounts less often. Getting grants for admin and salaries is almost impossible but we are still trying. Without an immediate increase in donations, we cannot sustain our program. In fact we may not be able to finish the year despite all the wonderful fundraisers listed below.

On October 23 the Eagles Aerie will have a Hog Roast to benefit Kindness. No other details available at this time, but please mark your calendars.

Call us at 425-6475 to reserve tickets for all or any of the above. Or stop by Monday-Friday between 9 a.m. And 4 p.m., to purchase them.

Still on our calendar of events are the fall yard sale in October and the pancake breakfast in September. If you can help with either of these, please let us know.

Send our link to everyone you know in Baxter and Marion counties who is over the age of 60, has a parent or grandparent, or a disabled elderly friend or neighbor. Urge them to visit our website. Kindness is the only nonprofit organization that provides services FREE of CHARGE to those who are disabled by vision, chronic and age-related problems. We are the only ones offering to keep people who should not be driving because of these problems off the road! We are the only nonprofit to help them maintain their independence and age with dignity in their own homes.

We need you to click on one of those Donate Now buttons. Please do it now!

To all of our volunteers and donors (quoting one of our board members), "Hey, y'all, thanks for all you've done and continue to do for Kindness!"

To learn more, send an e-mail to Margaret Pflug, our Executive Director, or click here to offer your help online. Everyone has something they can offer others, no matter what their age or background. We would be delighted to have you join us at Kindness, Inc.

If you have questions, please call us at (870) 425-6475 or toll-free 1-877-543-8271. Thank you.

In this photo Elaine is shown receiving her OVEA award from April Hawkins, of The MetLife Foundation, at a ceremony held in Washington, D.C. On May 1, 2009

In addition to being a volunteer driver and shopper at least twice each week, Elaine has organized and managed our twice-a-year pancake breakfast fundraisers for the past five years. She does her turn at our booth for all the indoor and outdoor fairs, expos and volunteer recruiting events in which Kindness participates. Whenever she is near our office, she stops in to see what jobs might need to be done. Elaine is always ready to lend a hand by running an errand to the post office or the office supply store. She also helps with folding brochures, stuffing envelopes and getting the newsletter ready for bulk mail.

Elaine began volunteering for Kindness following the death of her husband as a way to combat her loneliness. She soon realized the tremendous need for Kindness services and joined our board of directors. Elaine says everyone needs something to keep them busy. She chooses to keep busy doing for people what they cannot do for themselves. What she finds are clients who become her friends – neighbors who literally could not continue to live in their own homes without her (and our other volunteers’) help. They would have to neglect their health or move away from this rural community if Kindness volunteers did not provide transportation and other help. Now, volunteering with Kindness has become Elaine’s way of life. It’s what keeps her spirit young, active and alive. She enjoys meeting new people and says her carereceivers’ expressions of gratitude make her feel "happy and warm all over." Their problems make her own seem small. She hopes that when she needs help, a Kindness volunteer will be there to provide it.

Elaine uses every opportunity to spread the word about Kindness and how it helps neighbors remain independent. She talks to people in check out lines, newcomers to her church and passes the hat for Kindness at her neighborhood’s monthly breakfasts and lunches. She reminds them about the several neighbors that Kindness has already helped and reminds them that one day they, too, may need our help.

Volunteers with more than 100 hours of service in 2008 are once again Mary Anelli, Althea Bond, Bob Clark, Larry Gobble, George Knox, Mike Kuenzli, Doyle Linck, Wayne Neyens, Barbara Weatherby, Barbara Weingart, Paul Windknecht and Elaine Zimny. We and our carereceivers are very grateful for your compassion, time and effort; you are inspirations to all of us!

The 2008 Spirit of Excellence Award was presented to volunteer Dick Gable during this event.  Dick helps Kindness carereceivers with minor home repairs, installs grab bars and custom-built wheelchair ramps.  He had been a Kindness volunteer since June 2007 and has compiled more than 300 hours of volunteer service in the past twelve months. Dick is always cheerful and always happy to help make mobility easier and homes safer for the elderly and disabled people Kindness serves. The comment we hear most often about Dick’s work is that it is superb.

Volunteers with more than 100 hours of service in 2008 are once again Mary Anelli, Althea Bond, Bob Clark, Larry Gobble, George Knox, Mike Kuenzli, Doyle Linck, Wayne Neyens, Barbara Weatherby, Barbara Weingart, Paul Windknecht and Elaine Zimny. We and our carereceivers are very grateful for your compassion, time and effort; you are inspirations to all of us!