Be the change
Open Your Heart program brings wisdom, friendships
At Panera Bread in Shadyside, Thelma Dickerson and Brenda Goggins laughed over coffee as they talked.
Ms. Goggins, 67, of Verona has been taking Mrs. Dickerson, 84, of Wilkinsburg to appointments for three years as a volunteer with the Open Your Heart to a Senior program, an initiative of the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania.
The program uses volunteers in 18 member agencies in Allegheny, Westmoreland and Fayette counties to provide numerous services to help seniors to continue living in their own homes.
Services can include Meals on Wheels deliveries, home safety checks, transportation to medical appointments, minor home repairs and light yard work, among other forms of assistance.
The program currently pairs 3,208 volunteers with 9,222 older adults across the three counties.
Ms. Goggins, who lost her mother 20 years ago, said her relationship with Mrs. Dickerson has become like that of a mother and daughter. They exchange gifts on Christmas and birthdays and share meals at LongHorn Steakhouse, Eat’n Park and Red Lobster.
“We became good friends
the first time she came to take me to a doctor’s appointment,” Mrs. Dickerson said of Ms. Goggins. “We just really clicked.”
Mrs. Dickerson said Ms. Goggins “was wonderful” during Mrs. Dickerson’s hospital stays.
“She came to check on me every day.”
Ms. Goggins said volunteering has been very fulfilling for her, and that the wisdom older people have about certain subjects “is priceless.”
Apoorva Marri, 25, of Bridgeville and her friend Sanjana Ravikumar, 26, also of Bridgeville, volunteer helping different seniors. They go grocery shopping for an older man in the Shadyside area almost every week.
Ms. Marri, who is an electrical engineer, said she used to help her own grandparents and, when she lived in India, taught underprivileged children as a weekend volunteer.
Now, she shares laughter and good conversation with the seniors she helps, who like to tell her about their lives.
The volunteers and clients often exchange text messages and emails, Ms. Marri added.
She said she is inspired to do many things in life by the motivational motto “Be the change you want to see.”
Don Yalenty, 61, of Plum cares for his mother, who is 87, and also volunteers by helping Joe Bramer, 76, of Murrysville.
Mr. Bramer’s daughter, Mindy Bramer, said Mr. Yalenty takes her father to a program called Fit 4 Boxing for people with Parkinson’s disease.
He doesn’t just drive him there; he actively participates in the program with Mr. Bramer.
The therapy increases the amount of dopamine in the brain and helps improve balance and prevent falls, Ms. Bramer said.
She said she and her husband work during the day and have children, so Mr. Yalenty’s help is “invaluable.”
Mr. Yalenty also helps out Marlene Sugent, 82, of Export, by taking her out to get her hair done, to grocery shopping and to doctors’ appointments. He said they often finish their visits with a friendly game of backgammon.
Ms. Sugent is very competitive, Mr. Yalenty said. “She often starts our game by saying, ‘I’m going to kick your butt,’” he said.
“He’ll bring all the groceries in for me,” Ms. Sugent said. He also provides company for her, she said.
“You can’t have enough good friends in the world, and I consider Marlene a friend,” Mr. Yalenty said.
Ms. Sugent said she also has a friend who takes her to church, but noted that many older people have no one to help them.
Heather Sedlacko, director of programs for seniors and people with disabilities for the United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, said people can volunteer for Open Your Heart to a Senior, and older people can request help by calling the United Way.
For more information, call 412-456-6716.