VNA Community Services puts ‘heart’ into fundraising for seniors

Jackson Rozinsky
·2 min read

A local volunteer organization dedicated to senior citizens started a month-long fundraising campaign.

VNA Community Services (Volunteer Network on Aging) in Galesburg launched their ‘Put Your Heart into It‘ fundraising drive, and other organizations and businesses are joining in to help the cause. The goal of the fundraiser is to reach over $25,000.

“What those businesses will do is they’ll actually hold either special events, and special deals in which some of the proceeds will go to the VNA to help Knox County seniors,” Michael Bennett, VNA Services Executive Director, said. “They’re here with their pens and pencils, just making sure the seniors of Knox County don’t have to go without. They’re making sure they’re seen and their plights are visible.”

Thrive Community Services celebrated the start of the fundraising month, creating heart-shaped artwork to be shown in local businesses around the area. Thrive works with adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to provide community day services and employment services.

One Thrive member has been a part of the organization for the long run. “We have Hector, who’s been coming to Thrive for over 30 years,” Dylana Larson, Development Director for Thrive, said. “Every few days he comes to do activities, he is an advocate that will go out on the state level as a self-advocate to help other persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their creativity can be on display in our community, so that’s what their really excited about.”

Bennett says the fundraiser money will go toward their home meal delivery program for seniors and fixing the roof at the senior center. “Getting these roof repairs done means that we will no longer have a nice little swimming pool in our back room,” Bennett said. “We’ve been dealing with that for quite some time now, and we’re ready to be dry as a bone.”

To directly upgrade the roof for the VNA Community Service building in Galesburg, $20,000 out of the $25,000 will be used . The VNA Community Services fundraiser will run through the month of February. For more information, click here.

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