Our intern Ashley took Pah trick-or-treating last Thursday at the Elder Program. He went around to each class, knocked on the door, and shouted 'Trick or Treat'! He didn't get much candy, but check out his American flag shirt!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Don't Forget: Eat Out for Us on Wednesday!
Don't forget: our first Eat Out for Us event is this Wednesday!
(click on the picture to enlarge)
Impellizzeri's Pizza
1381 Bardstown Road
Wednesday, October 26th
4-11 pm
10% of sales donated to the Refugee Elder Program
Enjoy some pizza and support the Elder Program!!!
Friday, October 21, 2011
A New Series: Recommended Reading & Viewing
We're excited to announce the start of a new series on the Refugee Elder Program blog: Recommended Reading and Viewing. We think it's important to be lifelong learners (as evidenced by our attempt at learning twitter) and encourage those individuals involved with the Elder Program to learn more about refugees and issues that affect them. This can be a daunting task, as there are hundreds of books, films, and other resources about refugees and international issues; it can be difficult to sift through all these options.
This is where our new series will come in; we need you to share reviews of books you've read and films you've watched. We'll then choose some of them to post on the blog as part of the Recommended Reading and Viewing series. We hope that by sharing your reviews on the Elder Program blog, you'll be encouraging others to learn more about refugees, their plights, and their successes.
If you would like to submit a review of a book or film, please use the following guidelines:
We look forward to reading and sharing your reviews and learning more together!
This is where our new series will come in; we need you to share reviews of books you've read and films you've watched. We'll then choose some of them to post on the blog as part of the Recommended Reading and Viewing series. We hope that by sharing your reviews on the Elder Program blog, you'll be encouraging others to learn more about refugees, their plights, and their successes.
If you would like to submit a review of a book or film, please use the following guidelines:
- Reviews must be of a book, film, or other resource that concerns refugees or other related issues
- Reviews should be at least 200 words, but no more than 750 words
- Please submit your review to jjohnson@kyrm.org with 'Review Submission' in the subject line
- Please include your name, title, and any other information about yourself (including links to a website or blog) you would like included with your review
- We reserve the right to edit for length and grammar, but no edits to content will be made without the author's permission
We look forward to reading and sharing your reviews and learning more together!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
We're on Twitter (Finally)!
Hey folks, we're on twitter now! We're not really sure what we're doing, but we look forward to utilizing twitter to help promote the Elder Program. So start following us and tweeting about us all over the place!
Click on the picture to be taken to our twitter page...
Really, we emphasize we have no idea what we're doing, but we're willing to learn. If any Elder Program volunteers know anything about twitter, feel free to help us out. Thanks also to Phil at Refugee Services in Columbia, Missouri for his help!
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Eat Out for Us: Impellizzeri's Pizza
Our intern Anna has been hard at work putting together a new fundraising series for the Elder Program called Eat Out for Us. The concept behind Eat Out for Us is for one restaurant each month to host a fundraising evening for the Refugee Elder Program. We're proud to announce our first Eat Out for Us event!
Impellizzeri's Pizza at 1381 Bardstown Road has graciously agreed to host a fundraising night on Wednesday, October 26th from 4 pm-11 pm; 10% of all sales will be donated to the Elder Program!!!! So come on out and eat some pizza to help support refugee elders!
PS- October 26th is also Anna's birthday, so show her some love by supporting the Elder Program...
Impellizzeri's Pizza at 1381 Bardstown Road has graciously agreed to host a fundraising night on Wednesday, October 26th from 4 pm-11 pm; 10% of all sales will be donated to the Elder Program!!!! So come on out and eat some pizza to help support refugee elders!
PS- October 26th is also Anna's birthday, so show her some love by supporting the Elder Program...
Thursday, October 13, 2011
In Every Language
Currently, approximately ten different languages are spoken at the Elder Program: Nepali, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Kirundi, Vietnamese, Karen, Arabic, and Burmese. Some of our elders speak multiple languages, including several minor languages that very few people in the world understand. We thought we were pretty diverse until several weeks ago when a new volunteer opened our eyes to another language at the Elder Program.
Two of our Bhutanese elders are deaf and can really only communicate in a form of sign language. When these two elders first arrived at the program, we decided to focus primarily on writing skills, as they did not use American Sign Language, we didn't know American Sign Language in the first place, and we couldn't communicate in other method except through writing. However, a new volunteer Christie came to the program in August; when she found out that two of the elders were deaf, she expressed a desire to work with them since she knew a great deal of sign language.
Christie began working with the two men and immediately expressed her excitement over how much she was learning from them and how much they understood her sign language. Eventually, she set up an effective system of working with just the two men for the first hour of class and then worked with them in Sarah's class the second hour. This way, Tara and Janga were able to get some one-on-one instruction with Christie focusing on several signs but also maintain their involvement with the larger classes. She also brought the two men to a few events in the larger deaf community and continues to work with them as much as possible. Even though her work schedule permits her from being at the Elder Program each session, her dedication to the deaf elders is carried on through other volunteers. It is truly amazing to see Tara and Janga's eyes light up when working with Christie or another volunteer using sign language!
Here is an absolutely wonderful video from our trip to the Iroquois Library: Christie and Annie going through a book with Tara to practice some signing skills.
Two of our Bhutanese elders are deaf and can really only communicate in a form of sign language. When these two elders first arrived at the program, we decided to focus primarily on writing skills, as they did not use American Sign Language, we didn't know American Sign Language in the first place, and we couldn't communicate in other method except through writing. However, a new volunteer Christie came to the program in August; when she found out that two of the elders were deaf, she expressed a desire to work with them since she knew a great deal of sign language.
Christie began working with the two men and immediately expressed her excitement over how much she was learning from them and how much they understood her sign language. Eventually, she set up an effective system of working with just the two men for the first hour of class and then worked with them in Sarah's class the second hour. This way, Tara and Janga were able to get some one-on-one instruction with Christie focusing on several signs but also maintain their involvement with the larger classes. She also brought the two men to a few events in the larger deaf community and continues to work with them as much as possible. Even though her work schedule permits her from being at the Elder Program each session, her dedication to the deaf elders is carried on through other volunteers. It is truly amazing to see Tara and Janga's eyes light up when working with Christie or another volunteer using sign language!
Here is an absolutely wonderful video from our trip to the Iroquois Library: Christie and Annie going through a book with Tara to practice some signing skills.
Friday, October 7, 2011
TARC Travel Training
In coordination with Vesselina Romanov of KIPDA (Kentuckiana Planning and Development Agency), TARC presented their Travel Training program to the Elder Program yesterday. With the help of interpreters, the elders first watched a short film explaining the public transit system in Louisville before Janene Grantz and Nancy Snow from TARC explained more about the bus schedules, tickets and passes, and transfer requests. Finally, all the elders were able to get onto a TARC bus to learn how to pay the driver, look for appropriate bus stops, and request to get off at a particular stop. Check out some of the photos:
Yusuf and Hit get ready to board the TARC bus!
Abdel and Hawa are ready to go...
...as are Narmata and Sancha Maya!
The elders are all boarded and listening to Nancy Snow of TARC explain more about transfer tickets.
Zhamila and Pae demonstrate how to request a stop.
Jose gives volunteer Annie a thumbs up during the bus ride.
Aung and Pah are definitely enjoying this bus ride with the elders...
Just like in middle school...the back of the bus always seems to be having fun!
Thanks to KIPDA and TARC for this wonderful training!!!
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Volunteer Spotlight: Rick and Mary Ellen
It's time to meet some more of our fabulous volunteers! We are pleased to introduce to Rick and Mary Ellen:
We have been supporters of KRM from its beginning 20 years ago, but since we worked full-time, our volunteer time was limited. When we learned about the mentoring project to support the Elder Program, we thought it might be a good fit for us. We were interested not only in English tutoring, but in helping elders prepare for the citizenship test in a few short years.
How often do you typically volunteer and how long have you been volunteering?
We have a one-hour tutoring session once a week in our elder's home. We've been volunteering for over two years, and have rarely missed a week except for vacation or sickness. Occasionally we're also gone on some of the Elder Program's field trips, such as to the Federal Building. Now that we are no longer working, we both do more community volunteering, including Mary Ellen tutoring and substitute teaching in KRM's ESL program.
What do you enjoy the most about volunteering with the refugee elders?
We enjoy the friendship we have developed with Emma and others in her family. We admire her positive attitude and joy of life. We've had fun adding some special activities- an evening visit to Waterfront Park, a wine-tasting, going to an ice cream shop to celebrate a birthday, and a field trip to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace.
What is the most challenging aspect about volunteering with the refugee elders?
Learning a new language is never easy, but retention of new grammar and vocabulary as well as listening comprehension seems far more difficult for our older refugee arrivals. The elders are isolated in their homes and do not have the advantage of a workplace or school for daily practice of English.
How has this experience changed you?
It has given us a broader understanding of the challenges of teaching a second language. Upon retirement, we have both become certified in teaching English as a Second Language, so our tutoring gives us firsthand practice. We hope to teach ESL abroad in the future.
Please give us some background information about yourself (career, family, hobbies, etc)...
Rick and Mary Ellen are married with adult children and just retired at the end of 2010. Mary Ellen had been Executive Directive of GuardiaCare Services, a non-profit agency serving seniors and the families who care for them; she began her career as a university advisor to international students. After an earlier career in banking, RIck was an email administrator for MMC, a large global corporation in Louisville for the last ten years. Rick is also active in the Rotary and Scouting. Together, Mary Ellen and Rick have hosted many foreign visitors and have traveled to many part of the world. On nice days, you'll find them kayaking!
Anything else you would like to share about the program or elders?
The resilience and adaptability of the elders is inspiring! We have such administration for the hard work, creativity and dedication of the Refugee Elder Program's staff and volunteers. The support provided by this program is absolutely essential to help our older refugees succeed in adjusting to their new country!
Mary Ellen with Emma, the elder whom she and Rick have been mentoring for over two years!
How did you get involved with the Refugee Elder Program?
We have been supporters of KRM from its beginning 20 years ago, but since we worked full-time, our volunteer time was limited. When we learned about the mentoring project to support the Elder Program, we thought it might be a good fit for us. We were interested not only in English tutoring, but in helping elders prepare for the citizenship test in a few short years.
How often do you typically volunteer and how long have you been volunteering?
We have a one-hour tutoring session once a week in our elder's home. We've been volunteering for over two years, and have rarely missed a week except for vacation or sickness. Occasionally we're also gone on some of the Elder Program's field trips, such as to the Federal Building. Now that we are no longer working, we both do more community volunteering, including Mary Ellen tutoring and substitute teaching in KRM's ESL program.
What do you enjoy the most about volunteering with the refugee elders?
We enjoy the friendship we have developed with Emma and others in her family. We admire her positive attitude and joy of life. We've had fun adding some special activities- an evening visit to Waterfront Park, a wine-tasting, going to an ice cream shop to celebrate a birthday, and a field trip to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace.
What is the most challenging aspect about volunteering with the refugee elders?
Learning a new language is never easy, but retention of new grammar and vocabulary as well as listening comprehension seems far more difficult for our older refugee arrivals. The elders are isolated in their homes and do not have the advantage of a workplace or school for daily practice of English.
How has this experience changed you?
It has given us a broader understanding of the challenges of teaching a second language. Upon retirement, we have both become certified in teaching English as a Second Language, so our tutoring gives us firsthand practice. We hope to teach ESL abroad in the future.
Please give us some background information about yourself (career, family, hobbies, etc)...
Rick and Mary Ellen are married with adult children and just retired at the end of 2010. Mary Ellen had been Executive Directive of GuardiaCare Services, a non-profit agency serving seniors and the families who care for them; she began her career as a university advisor to international students. After an earlier career in banking, RIck was an email administrator for MMC, a large global corporation in Louisville for the last ten years. Rick is also active in the Rotary and Scouting. Together, Mary Ellen and Rick have hosted many foreign visitors and have traveled to many part of the world. On nice days, you'll find them kayaking!
Anything else you would like to share about the program or elders?
The resilience and adaptability of the elders is inspiring! We have such administration for the hard work, creativity and dedication of the Refugee Elder Program's staff and volunteers. The support provided by this program is absolutely essential to help our older refugees succeed in adjusting to their new country!
Rick and Emma celebrating her birthday!
Thanks Rick and Mary Ellen for your long-term service! And on a personal note, I'm always excited to see Mary Ellen when she is able to spot by the office for a visit- she is always so encouraging! If you would like to meet more of our volunteers, be sure to read our Volunteer Spotlight series!
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