Center For Cultural Events

Woman, 101, knows impact of Living United

By Sue Carpenter suec@kpcnews.net  
Wednesday, 25 August 2010 00:10

AUBURN — Dorothy Harvey knows the difference Living United can make in a person’s life.

She shared her story at Friday’s United Way kickoff concert at the DeKalb Outdoor Theatre.

“I still live alone, take care of myself, pay my bills and am able to handle my own finances,” she said. “And in two months, I will be 102 years old.”

Devastated and lonely following the death of her husband some 20 years ago, Harvey said she became depressed.

One day, she wondered if volunteering would help, so she stopped at the DeKalb County Council on Aging, located in the Heimach Center in Auburn, and spoke with director Meg Zenk.

“I told (Zenk) my story, and she literally took me in her arms and welcomed me,” Harvey said. The next morning, Harvey was enlisted as telephone operator at the center, and she has been doing that ever since.

Harvey numbered the many of the services offered to senior citizens at the center — such as a well-equipped exercise room, yoga classes, noon lunches served daily and a counselor who comes in once a week to assist with any problems a senior might have with Medicare, Medicaid or prescription drugs. The center also offers in-home services.

Harvey also praised the center’s poolroom and card room, where seniors have a great time playing cards and bingo.

“And then there’s the support groups for Alzheimer’s, diabetes and low vision,” she added. “I used to think support groups were when a group of folks who were ill all got together and consoled each other — but (support groups) are a lot more than that.”

Harvey, who has macular degeneration, attends the low vision support group. The League for the Blind offers meetings, information and introduces inventions to make it easier to cope with the disability, she said.

“We would never know about these things without the support group. Without these services, I firmly believe I would be in a nursing home long before now,” Harvey said.

While driving her car about four years ago, Harvey could not see well enough to determine a green traffic light from a red one. Her macular degeneration symptoms had advanced.

“I was scared. I turned around, went home and parked my car and never drove again,” she said.

Harvey said she began to worry how she would be able to manage without a car to buy groceries or get to the doctor.

“But then, again, Heimach Center came to my rescue with their DART transportation service. It is the greatest!” she said.

The program offers eight vans that pick up people of all ages throughout the county who need public transportation to and from work, shopping, doctor appointments and beauty salons, among other destinations.

“Without DART, I could not be able to live on my own like I do now,” Harvey said.

She praised Zenk for her compassion and dedication as director of the DeKalb County Council on Aging.

“No matter how busy Meg is, or what she is doing, she puts it aside, sits down and listens to them. She helps them if she can. If not, she’ll find someone who can,” said Harvey.

Harvey was one of four representatives of the United Way’s 24 partner agencies at Friday’s program. Angela Eck from Butler Early Education Center, Amber Recker, development director and outreach coordinator Linda Bewley from Cancer Services in DeKalb County and Lili Hand from Alliance Industries all spoke of the impact their agencies have made though funding from the United Way.