The Lake Geauga Recovery Center, LGRC, located at 209 Center Street, Unit E, Chardon, OH 44024 has existed for 43 years providing recovering for thousands of individuals. Their mission statement is “to promote lifelong recovery from addiction through education, prevention, and treatment regardless of ability to pay.” Along with outpatient services (and several other programs), LGRC services two sober houses – one for men and one for women. Right now they need a picnic table, air conditioners, nightstands and gently used furniture of all kinds. Go to their website to see their complete wish list. They also need your time as volunteers and financial help. You may call Meloney Blasko at 440-255-0678. Like LGRC on Facebook to see all that is going on!
A group of Amish parents with special needs children frustrated with the medical system, embarked on a mission to get help for their children. Joined with non-Amish friends who were specialists in early Intervention, therapy, and business, set out to create a clinic that would provide the comprehensive care their children desperately needed. Add the long journey, and the DDC Clinic, Center for Special Needs Children, was established to help children with rare genetic disorders that are difficult and time-consuming to diagnose and treat. The center is a non-profit primary care and research center in Middlefield. It moved into its state-of-the-art facility in October of 2009. You may call to volunteer. For financial support, go to their website, PayPal, or call in at 440-632-1668 or mail to: DDC Clinic, 14567 Madison Rd, Middlefield, Ohio 44087.
Volunteering your time to a group of individuals is the greatest gift of all. There are many who need you! I automatically think of the elderly. When I was a young homemaker with four children, we went to nursing homes and read to the folks. We took our lab Daisy for visits and our home school coop performed the musical “Amazing Grace” at two of the local nursing homes in Geauga County. I realize many churches and outreach groups visit these homes, but one on one visits are so meaningful. Here is a list of the seven nursing homes in Geauga County. Please consider calling them about donating your time, your crocheted afghans, board games, paperback books, Bibles. Maybe you can be a friend to someone who needs a friend. Maybe you can read to someone. Think about it, won’t you? Blossom Hill / Huntsburg, Briar Hill / Middlefield, Burton Health Care / Burton, Chardon Center / Chardon, Holly Hill / Newbury, Maplewood at Heather Hill and Rehab Hospital at Heather Hill both in Chardon.
Who picks up 700+ stray dogs a year, bathes them, feeds them, walks them, and gives them medical attention if they need it? That would be your Geauga County Dog Shelter located at 12513 Merritt Rd. in Chardon. Despite a limited budget and limited personnel, they have a 97% rate for return to owner/adoptions. Financial help is needed, of course, but also the shelter needs volunteers! YOU are needed the most! The dogs need to be walked, played with, brushed and loved by you! Please, if you can spare any time, stop in and pick up a volunteer packet. If you have questions about the volunteer program, please call the shelter office, 440-286-8135, or email the volunteer coordinator Mary at GeaugaMary@hotmail.com. You can make a difference in these dogs’ lives!
I chose WomenSafe as a charity because it serves our grass roots community. More than any of us realize, women are abused verbally and physically everyday in our own neighborhoods. What is WomenSafe? “The mission of WomenSafe is to provide emergency shelter and support services for survivors of domestic violence throughout Northeast Ohio. WomenSafe is a non-profit organization that offers information, counseling, education, referrals and support to victims of domestic violence.” One of their moneymakers is The Green House Resale Shoppe. The store offers clothing, furniture, and household items to the public at drastically reduced prices. Pick up a volunteer packet at the store. Check it out at 12041 Ravenna Road Chardon, Ohio 44024. All proceeds go directly to WomenSafe.
Select a charity and go to it! Look around your home. Take that extra furniture cluttering your garage and make room for snow parking. The Green House or LGRC will take it. Need to lose 10 lbs? Go walk dogs for the shelter. That change on your dresser, in your car, how about giving it to the DDC Clinic, and help some children. And that pile of puzzles and board games you have cluttering your closet? Donate them to the closest nursing home. They will appreciate it!
