Judy Morgan, Community Service Director

Community Service

March                 County Clothing Center

May                     Bair Foundation :  a therapeutic foster care agency) Collection of various summer toys and items-such as: Water toys, outside games,  sunscreen, etc. Focus is on-6 to 12 year olds

June                     Maplewood GED Graduation ervers, cards, and refreshments are needed

July                       Collection for: City Of Hope- School Supplies, Big Brothers Big Sisters- Gift cards and Monetary donations

September             Be A Santa to a Senior, Gift cards, stationary items, stamps, hats, gloves, scarves, Personal care items, small gifts

November             Center of Hope Non-perishable food items

December              County Clothing Center, Outer wear for children-hats, gloves, ear muffs, etc.

Community Service News, February to March 2020

On March 19th bring donations for  County Clothing Center, such as cleaning supplies, toilet bowl cleaner, hand soap, dish soap, paper towels, toilet tissue, copy paper, stamps and other office supplies.

Community Service News, May 2019

MARCH      County Clothing Center

Styrofoam cups, plates, soup, bowls, paper towels, fernine hygiene products, 8×11.5 copy paper, bathroom cleaning supplies, Dawn dish washing soap, and pot holders. Items are used by volunteers and workers.

MAY           Portage Animal Protective League

Shelter Wish List

Through the generosity or^. the community the Portage APL is abie to keep the foliowing items are frequently needed to care for the cats and dogs:

To Keep Healthy and Clean
DOG

• Purina ONE° Smart Blends/Small Bites (Chicken or Beef
• Merrick`-‘ Canned Dog food (Chicken or Ground Turkey
• Merrick Grammy’s Pot Pie Turducken Thanksgiving D
• Milk Bones’ Biscuits (Minis)
• Canned Purina ONE° pieces in gravy (chicken or turkey) CAT

.     Purina ONE Sensitive/indoor Cat/Kitten Food/Herbs

• Canned Fancy Feast Tender Turkey Feast Kitten Only
• Blue Healthy Gourmet Chicken Morsels
  Tidy Cat` non-clumping( yellow bag)
• Fresh News
• Packs of Paper Towel, Heavy Duty trash bags (33 gal.),Tall kitchen
• Paper serving boats (2#, #2.5, 3#, 6oz or 7 oz), small plastic

JUNE     GED Graduation —Maplewood Career Center-

Need refreshments, Servers, Cards ( 6/7/18)

JULY      Portage County Schools and Big Brothers Big Sisters

1. Collect school supplies for public schools
2. Collect gift cards and donations for activities during the year for Big Brothers          Big Sisters

SEPTEMBER Be A Santa To A Senior

Gift cards, stationary, stamps, personal care

items, hats, gloves, scarves, and men’s socks

NOVEMBER Center Of Hope

Collection of non-perishable foods

DECEMBER     County Clothing Center

Collection of winter outer-wear for children

and adults (hats, gloves, scarves, and socks)

PCRTA Serves at GED Ceremony

Serving at GED Ceremony 2017

PCRTA served refreshments at the GED ceremony in May at the Maplewood Careen Center.  Those pictured left to right who helped serve are Joann Stikes, Helena Parry, Saroj Sutaria, Judy Morgan, Pat Gynn and Denise Craig.  Others who baked included Ruth Weigand, Phyllis Spangler, Kathy Latimer and Emily Hoff.

Providing and serving refreshments is a service PCRTA provides each year for the graduates at Maplewood.  Last year PCRTA received a plaque in partnership with Maplewood.

2017 Community Service Projects for PCRTA

March County Clothing Center:

Donate paper goods, plastic items, and cleaning supplies

May Donations to The Coleman Center:

Craft items: markers, coloring books, colored paper,

paints, colored pencils, etc.

June  GED Graduation

(Maplewood Career Center/ refreshments, servers, cards)

Thursday, June 8, 2017

July  Collect school supplies for students

                    Gift cards and donations for Big Brothers Big Sisters

September:  Be A Santa To A Senior:

Gift cards, stamps, lotions, treats for pets, men’s socks, stationary items, hats, gloves, scarves

November:  Center Of Hope: Collection of non-perishable foods December:

        County Clothing Center: Children’s hats, gloves, scarves, or outer wear for winter

 VOLUNTEERS FOR HABITAT FOR HUMANITY

Ruth Wagner & husband Keith

Our member Ruth Wagner and her husband Keith are regular and loyal volunteers for Habitat for Humanity.  They joined the work crew for many Wednesday work days this summer.

If you can help out, consider contacting Ron Snowberger, PCRTA Habitat Chairperson at 330-678-3268 or call the number below.

Habitat for Humanity of Portage County

6630 Cleveland Road

Ravenna, OH 44266

330.296.2880 Phone

330.296.5263 Fax

www.habitatofportage.org

PORTAGE COUNTY RETIRED TEACHERS RECEIVE COMMUNITY PARTNER AWARD

Judy Morgan with Community Partner Award

Judy Morgan accepted the Community Partner Award for Portage County Retired Teachers given by the Portage County Literacy Coalition.  Judy was very surprised at the GED ceremony at the Maplewood Career Center on June 9, 2016, when she was called to the stage to receive the award on behalf of PCRTA.

PCRTA members have been providing refreshments for this event for many years.  This year we served over 200 graduates and guests.

Retired ABLE (Adult Basic and Literacy Education) Coordinator at Maplewood Career Center and PCRTA member, Helen Jane Wilson, traveled from the state of Washington to attend the graduation, where she paid tribute to the graduates, the teachers of Maplewood and Doris Schoning, retiring ABLE Coordinator. She also welcomed the new ABLE/GED Coordinator, Laure Gaunter.

The Wilson family scholarships are awarded each year at the GED ceremony to ABLE students.

Those who baked and helped serve refreshments at the GED ceremony are pictured below: Joanne Stykes, Sharon Watts, Judy Morgan, Kathy Latimer, Pat Gynn, Helena Parry and Ruth Weigand

GED Ceremony

Judy Hendershot, Georgia Darrah and Phyllis Spangler for also baking for the event

The PCRTA Community Service Project for March 2016

We are suppling the County Clothing Center with paper goods such as paper towels, toilet paper, table napkins and cleaningsupplies to be used by the volunteers and workers who clean the center once a month.  On Fri. Jan. 29, 2016, eight PCRTA members volunteered at the Clothing Center. Thanks, Judy Hendershot, Jo Ann Stikes, Ruth Weigand, Ron Snowberger, Anita Foote, Ruth Seton, Phyllis Spangler and Helena Parry.

Also, we want to thank those of you who continue to proctor on a regular basis.  Thanks to Edith Scott for coordinating this effort. NEOMED will sponsor a ‘thank you party’ for proctors on May 26, 2016. (more details to come)

 Please continue to send your volunteer hours to Judy Morgan at Grams4two@hotmail.com. These hours are compiled at ORTA and used to show our value as retired teachers regarding involvement in volunteerism.  OUR CURRENT PENSIONS PROVIDE US ENOUGH SO THAT WE CAN AFFORD TO VOLUNTEER.

PLEASE CHECK OUT THE PORTAGE COUNTY HABITAT FOR HUMANITY WEBSITE TO SEE HOW YOU CAN HELP!http://www.habitatforhumanityofohio.org/affiliates/name/habitat-for-humanity-of-portage-county/ More information will follow in our next issue about our involvement with Habitat for Humanity.

GED Graduation, June 11, 2015

I, as Community Service Director, would like to thank Denise Craig, Ruth Weigand, Judith Morgan, JoAnn Stikes and Saroj Sutaria for being hostesses, providing baked goods and passing out cards at the GED Graduation at Maplewood on June 11, 2015.

Also, a special thanks to the following people for donating special baked goods: Helena Parry, Georgia Darrow, Emily Hoff, Kathy Latimer and Pat Gynn. The event was very successful.

Community Service would like to thank the membership for providing gift cards and cash to the Big Brothers-Big Sisters organization.

Please remember to turn in your volunteer hours by calling Judy Morgan at 330-653-8174. The total number of hours that have been turned in to date since January are 2321. We want to reach our 12,000 hour goal. September Project is items for seniors as mentioned on this page.

PCRTA May Service Project 2015

PCRTA Community Service Project for May is to supply gift cards for the Big Brother and Sister Organization.  Gift cards for gas, groceries, clothing or cash will be greatly appreciated. 

Also we want to thank those of you who continue to proctor on a regular basis.  Thanks to Edith Scott for coordinating this effort.

A new Community Service Project has been implemented whereby volunteers will work at the Portage County Phyllis Zumkehr Clothing Center on the fifth Friday of the month.  These fifth Fridays occur three times for the remainder of 2015.  Thanks to those of you who have agreed to volunteer for this project.  Call Helena for details at 330-673-0577.

In June PCRTA volunteers will provide and serve refreshments for the Maplewood Career Center. Those  wishing to help with this should contact Judy Morgan at 330-653-8174.  School Supplies for children will be collected at the July luncheon.

Community Service Project For September 2014– – Gift Cards

Judy Morgan has asked the PCRTA membership to donate gift cards of various types for our September luncheon community service project. The gift cards will be donated to Big Brothers and Sisters of Portage County to purchases items for  children and youth who are in need.

Judy would like to thank all of you who donated school supplies for the July luncheon community service project. These school supplies were donated to the Center of Hope, where they will be distributed to children of the community who are in need of them.  Also, please remember to turn in your volunteer hours to Judy –  grams4two@hotmail.com or call her at  330-653-8174.

Community Service for March will be collecting items for Akron Children’s Hospital.

Judy Morgan
Community Service
Chairperson

The most needed items (for infants, children and teens) are: sweat shirts, sweat pants, and pajama bottoms. They will accept any items but please leave the “material content” label on all stuffed animals. They will also accept cash donations to purchase items. If you would like to view the donation/wish lists please go to: https://www.akronchildrens.org/cms-wish-list/index.html PCRTA would like to thank Darlene Fetterhoff and her daughter for helping with this project. Thank you, Judith Morgan.

Hey! Yoo-Hoo It’s Time to Turn in Your Volunteer Hours for 2013! November-December 2013

Did you know that in Ohio, one hour of volunteer time is valued over $21 an hour!! Add up all the hours our members volunteer and it’s phenomenal! We are a powerful economic force in the state!!! Every year ORTA presents a check to our legislators, letting them know about the power of the time volunteered by retired teachers all over the state.   One of the reasons we are able to volunteer is because of our defined benefit pensions. We don’t have to take second jobs (from younger workers who also need jobs) or worry if our investments will do well (our STRS investors do that for us) and we’re retired and bright with lots of skills to share. If you didn’t give your hours to Judy as we have gone through the year, take a few minutes to think about where you volunteer and estimate your hours. Check out your own worth at $21 an hour! Then send your hours in to Judy to be tallied with the rest of our members. Estimate your Nov/Dec hours or get them turned in by January 5.

SEND YOUR HOURS…MAIL YOUR HOURS…PHONE YOUR HOURS…EMAIL YOUR HOURS

Judy Morgan Grams4two@hotmail.com 265 Jade Boulevard 330-653-8174 Streetsboro, OH 44241  PLEEEEEEEZE! It’s time! Do it today…don’t wait!  GED Graduation – June 16, 2013 For a number of years, PCRTA has been helping at the GED Graduation Ceremony at Maplewood by bringing cookies and serving cake and punch provided by the GED Department. This service provides the GED and ABLE staff time to spend with the new graduates and their families. This year Pat Gynn, Kathy Latimer, Georgia Darrah, and Judy Morgan (chair of the Community Services Committee) served at the refreshment table.  Why not join us next year?  It is always a wonderful evening to see the graduates and their proud families. We tell the students that we represent their former teachers who would have been so proud to know that they had finally made this wonderful achievement.        1

10-15-12 Hey!  Yoo-Ho!  It’s time to turn in your volunteer hours for 2012

ORTA proclaimed 2012 “The Year of the Volunteer” and asked us to keep track of our volunteer hours and send them to ORTA. They plan to make a large check to give to the Governor, the House of Representatives, and the Senate to show them the worth of Ohio’s retired teachers.  Did you know that in Ohio, one hour of volunteer time is valued over $21 an hour!  Add up all the hours our members volunteer and it’s phenomenal! We are a powerful economic force in the state!!!

One of the reasons we are able to volunteer is because of our defined benefit pensions. We don’t have to take second jobs (from younger workers who also need jobs) or worry if our investments will do well (STRS investors do that for us) and we’re retired and bright with lots of skills to share. If you didn’t write down your hours or give them to Judy as we have gone through the year, take a few minutes to think about where you volunteer and estimate your hours.

If you serve a church dinner, work at the County Clothing Center, drive a neighbor to her chemo or radiation, help out in your grandchild’s school listening to kids read, or whatever you do…add up your hours. Check out your own worth at $21 an hour! Then send your hours in to Judy to be tallied with the rest of our members. Estimate your Nov/Dec hours; or get them in by January 5.

YOUR HOURS…MAIL YOUR HOURS…PHONE YOUR HOURS…EMAIL YOUR HOURS Judy Morgan Grams4two@hotmail.com     330-653-8174 265 Jade Boulevard 330-653-8174 Streetsboro, OH 44241   PLEEEEEEEZE! It’s time! Do it today…don’t wait!

10-12-11 VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES ABOUND – JUST WAITING FOR YOU! AARP TAX-AIDE

Looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a difference in your community? AARP Foundation Tax- Aide-the nation’s largest free tax preparation and assistance service-is now seeking volunteers for the 2012 tax season. You don’t have to be an AARP member to volunteer, and you don’t have to have any experience doing taxes. You just have to have a desire to help others.

Call Gene Berczik, the district coordinator for AARP Tax-Aide, at 330-562-4320 for more information. There will be a week-long training program in January. AARP Tax-Aides start doing taxes February 1st.

Feel like you are over-paying your taxes? Have trouble working through all the forms? Then look into AARP Foundation Tax-Aide, a free program of qualified tax aides that help senior taxpayers file their taxes.

By close of business on Tax Day – Tax-Aide will have helped over 2.5 million taxpayers navigate complicated tax codes, ensure proper credits and deductions and file their returns to the IRS and state and local tax agencies. And they do it for FREE! There are Tax-Aide offices in Kent, Ravenna, Mantua, and Streetsboro.

You can schedule a time by calling the Portage County United Way at 330-297-4636 or 1-800-961-0191. Our own PCRTA fellow retired teacher Mary Evelyn Shabino has worked as a Tax-Aide. If you would like more information, give her a call at 330-325-7110.  

ADOPT-A-SOLDIER  

PCRTA member Pat Mazzer recently signed up at this website:  www.adoptaussoldier.org/  A soldier was assigned to her and they have had a meaningful dialogue over the past weeks. Pat says it is important to support our troops at this perilous time. She thought other retired teachers might like to do this, too. Check it out!  

NEOMED PROCTORS NEEDED   Edith Scott who is in charge of PCRTA’s NEOMED Proctoring Program is looking for more members who are willing to proctor tests for the medical and pharmacy students at NEOMED. Proctors work in groups of two or three along with some full-time NEOMED staff to help monitor the students as they take tests.

Most of the tests are taken on computers, but you don’t have to be computer savvy to proctor. There are NEOMED tech people on hand to assist. You will receive a proctor training session before you begin to proctor. Call Edie Scott for more information at 330-297-1812 or see her at the luncheon meeting.  

FIRST BOOK-PORTAGE COUNTY  

First Book-Portage County began  distributing books to programs serving low-income children in 2005. Their goal is to distribute 12 books per child each year to children from low-income families. Last year they gave 4038 books, and this year they want to give 8,000. Since they started, they have distributed books to 1,561 children in 20 community programs.

On Saturday, November 5, they will hold their third annual Bookcase Auction at McKay Bricker Gallery at 141 E. Main Street in Kent. The event is open to the public. Refreshments will be served. Bookcases decorated by local artists as well as baskets of books will be auctioned .

EMPOWER PORTAGE

Empower Portage will be holding a Poverty Simulation on November 4, 2011 from 10 am to 12:30 pm at the United Methodist Church of Kent. The simulation will provide a chance to role play a month in the lives of low-income families working to meet their basic needs on a limited budget over a course of four “15-minute weeks.” For more information, call 330-297-7027 Ext/ 365.  

SALVATION ARMY TUTORS NEEDED

Helena Parry is the Learning Center Director at the Salvation Army Center in Ravenna. She is looking for someone who still has that “teaching bug” to volunteer a few hours a week to help tutor students after school. If you want to know more about this need, call Helena at 330-673-0577 or 330-351-7084 or email her at helena.parry@use.Salvationarmy.org.

June 9th, 2011 PCRTA Members Celebrate the GED Graduation  

For several years, PCRTA members have been attending the GED Graduation at Maplewood Career Center to serve refreshments after the ceremony.  Our members bake hundreds of homemade cookies; cake and punch are provided by Maplewood.  Our members serve the refreshments so the people associated with the GED program have time to talk to the students and their families.

At our May luncheon, PCRTA members wrote notes to the students congratulating them on their GED accomplishment.  These were presented to graduates as they were waiting for the ceremony.  We told them that we represent their own teachers who would have been so happy to know that they had finally finished their program and graduated.

This is one of the many community service programs that PCRTA members participate in during the year.  Judy Morgan is the chair of this committee and does a terrific job organizing and carrying out the various activities.  She reports we sent $257 to Safer Futures along with many bags of requested items in May.

FREEDOM HOUSE:  OUR MARCH 2011 SERVICE PROJECT: April-May 2011 GED Graduation Coming up Soon!

For several years, PCRTA has been celebrating the graduation of those students in the GED program at Maplewood. This year’s graduation will be on June 9. Our members bake homemade cookies, attend the graduation, and serve the cake and punch provided by Maplewood for the reception following the GED graduation ceremony.

At our May luncheon meeting we will ask our members to write personal notes to the graduates telling how proud we are that they have completed their education. These are passed out to the students and have been very much appreciated by them. We will provide the cards and you provide the sentiments.

Want to help make homemade cookies or serve cake and punch? Contact Judy Morgan at home at 330-653-8174 or signup at the May luncheon.

Freedom House

Freedom House is a transitional shelter in Kent for 14 single adult males who are veterans and homeless. Opened in 2008, Freedom House provides these veterans with assistance in finding jobs and permanent housing, mental health and substance abuse counseling, involvement in community activities, and an aftercare program of follow-up and support.

It is estimated that there are 154,000 homeless veterans on any given night. This represents about a fourth of the adult homeless population.  Nearly half of these homeless veterans served during the Vietnam War.  Most had an honorable discharge but found themselves alone and homeless though poor choices and unlucky breaks.

Bring to the luncheon some of the things that are currently needed by Freedom House to help our veterans, such as: canned fruit, pancake or waffle mix, pillow cases, plastic containers with lids (shoe box size and smaller), and money donations to buy meat. 

Dec. 2011 PCRTA Members Keep Kids Warm and Comfy 

At our December meeting, we colleted hats, caps, and mittens to go to the County Clothing Center. Here JoAnn Stikes and Judy Morgan, chair of the Community Service Committee, are collecting the more than 200 pairs of gloves, mittens, and caps that were donated by our generous PCRTA members. Thanks for keeping Portage County kids toasty warm!  

PCRTA MEMBERS VOLUNTEERED IN PORTAGE COUNTY.  DID YOU?

Retired teachers are a rich source of talent for volunteer and community service activities in our local communities throughout Portage County.  Report your service hours and we will send them to ORTA.  They use this information to report to legislators on the valuable work being done by retired teachers.

Keep track of the volunteering you do at your church, or at a school, at a hospital, or proctoring at NEOUCOM, on environmental projects, the APL, historical societies, or libraries, plus many more things you do.  Did YOU participate in any of these activities? 

Now think…time spent shopping for hats and mittens or toiletries is volunteer time, too. We know you aren’t just sitting around your homes…what have you been doing?   Report your volunteer hours to: Judy Morgan by phone at 330-653-8174 or by a note at the luncheon meeting or send a note to 265 Jane Boulevard  Streetsboro, OH  44241  or Email us at pcrta.oh@gmail.com.

YOUR NAME_______________________________       YOUR VOLUNTEER HOURS__________           YOU did them,  WE want them.  Please help!  

FUTURE EDUCATOR CONFERENCE NEEDS JUDGES

Ohio: Illuminate the heart and mind. Teach! This is the theme for the 2010 Future Educators’ Ohio annual state conference to be held at Kent State University on Friday, April 23. ]

You can and should be a part of this conference. High school students who plan to enter the field of education have prepared for competition. Their contests will be judged by retired teachers. Judges will be needed from 8:30 to about 11:30.

There will be a meeting with the judges to answer questions, discuss expectations, and distribute materials. You can choose to participate in judging speech, display, lesson plans, scrapbook, or poster competitions. The rules, guidelines, and scoring rubrics for events are available on the Ohio Department of Education website.

Judges are invited to remain for the entire conference. How to sign up: Go to www.mysignup.com/feaohiojudge to sign up to judge a specific competition. Call Judy Morgan (330-653-8174) community service chair to volunteer. For more information, contact Julie Wilcox at Kent State University (330-672-0556).  

NEW PROCTOR ORIENTATION FOR NEOUCOM PROCTORS  

Wednesday, March 10

Olson Hall at NEOUCOM/P Campus (Please Use Main Entrance)

9:30-11:30

Call Edith Scott to sign up at 330-297-1812

Continuing proctors, please call to schedule proctoring dates.

 MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY! J

udy Morgan, Terrie Sargi, Dave Gynn, Adele Fussner, and Pat Gynn were some of our members who collected heaping carts of food for the county food banks on Make-a-Difference Day in October at Kent Acme.   

GET A DISNEY DAY!

Disney wants to inspire one million people to volunteer a day of service to a participating organization in their communities. So they’re celebrating these volunteers’ good works by giving each of them a free 1-day, 1-theme park ticket to the Disneyland® Resort or Walt Disney World® Resort.

There’s no better time to make a dream come true for others and let Disney make a few come true for you. Proctoring at NEOUCOM can earn you a day at Disney. If you can’t go to Disney, your ticket can be transferred to a child. Check out Disney on line or you can register with Mandy Zantow at RSVP (330-296-2666 X342).  

COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEERS NEEDED TO ASSIST IN RED CROSS DRIVES 

Members are needed to assist in the Red Cross blood drive at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Streetsboro.  Volunteers help by serving snacks to blood donors, and keeping an eye on them while they recover from their donation, and making sure they are strong enough to leave the site. 

 Please contact Judith Morgan, Community Service Chair, at 330-653-8174 if you can help.  Judy is a new member of PCRTA who has jumped right in and taken an active role in leadership.  Why not  ask her if you can help her?

RETIRED TEACHERS AT WORK VOLUNTEERING IN THE COUNTY

PCRTA Members donated cookies and helped serve cake, cookies, and punch at the Maplewood Career Center for the GED Graduation ceremony on June 11, 2009.  Thanks to these ladies who made cookies and/or helped serve:  Connie Evans, Jan Fencl, Darlene Fetterhoff, Adele Fussner, Pat Gynn, Rosemary Hostler, Judy Morgan, Evelyn Park, Edith Scott, Ann Spence, Saroj Sutaria, and Ruth Wiegand.  As teachers, it is always wonderful to see students of all ages finally graduating and to share in their success and their happiness.