Senior Award Recipient – John “Jack” Geary, Volunteer Service Award

Senior Awards Recipient of the Volunteer Service Award – John “Jack” Geary – Senior Resident, Sunnyslope Manor

 

John “Jack” Geary

John “Jack” Geary

John “Jack” Geary is amazing.  He is a Korean era Veteran.  A “Vietnam Era” Veteran is defined as any Veteran who served during the official time frame of the Vietnam War.  He will be 84 in January.

Although Jack has very limited vision and hearing, he finds time to share his love of books with his friends and neighbors.  The library at Sunnyslope Manor was in disarray.  Very few residents used the library.  Jack volunteered his time to organize the library.  He gathered all the books in the library, put together carts of books to donate to charity, and arranged the remaining books by subject and author using a magnifying glass.  He donated several of his own new books for his fellow residents to read.

The residents at Sunnyslope Manor now use the library and have expressed their gratitude to Jack for his outstanding work. Jack takes pride in maintaining the library in an orderly manner on a weekly basis to ensure all books are in their proper place.

2012 Senior Awards Luncheon, Debra Rapp Advocacy Award Recipient

Senior Awards Recipient of the Advocacy Award, Debra Rapp, Social Service Coordinator at Stone Creek Village

Stone Creek Village is comprised of 40 units

Debra Rapp

Debra Rapp

Debra has worked for Stone Creek as a Social Service Coordinator for 4 years.  She is a member of the Association of Service Coordinators.  She coordinates programs through Project Hands where blankets, toiletry items, and handmade items are donated to the homeless. She also volunteers with the Empty Bowl Pet Food Pantry by picking up dog food to provide to residents that have dogs.

She receives joy from working with senior residents.  She minimizes the stress in their lives and provides resources where they can be healthy and live healthy.

2012 Senior Awards Luncheon, Rosanne Schleifer Pioneer Award Recipient

Rosanne Schleifer

Senior Awards Luncheon Recipient of the Pioneer Award–Rosanne Schleifer, Service Coordinator, Maryvale Parkway Terrace

Maryvale Parkway Terrace, comprised of 108 units, provides housing for senior and disabled adults.

Rosanne Schleifer has worked for the City of Phoenix for 12 years, including Service Coordinator at Maryvale Parkway Terrace for three and a half years. She is a Master Trainer in Fall Prevention and a Member of the Governor’s Council on Aging and Mature Workers Committee.

As a young child she was strongly influenced by loving, nurturing Grand Parents and always had a desire to give back to the senior community.  For over 25+ years, she has enriched, enhanced and make a difference in the lives of the senior population.

2012 Senior Awards Luncheon, Lifetime Achievement Award – Mr. Bernando LaPallo

Lifetime Achievement Award – Mr. Bernando LaPalloMr Lapallo2

On Friday, October 26th, Gregory’s Fresh Market Place will honor Mr. Bernando LaPollo,  a vibrant, articulate and inspirational super centenarian.  Mr. LaPallo, who is 111 years old, will receive the Lifetime Achievement award.  He is a role model and is helping to define aging in new and inspirational ways.
Mr. Lapallo was born in Brazil on August 17, 1901, and moved with his family to the United States at age five. He grew up in New York, were he lived most of his life.  He has resided in Mesa since 2002.  After retiring as a culinary chef on cruiselines, Mr. LaPallo went back to medical school and became a podiatrist.  Mr. LaPallo attributes his health and longevity to a vegetarian and raw food diet and various other natural and alternative health habits.  He is the author of “Age Less/Live More:  Achieving Health and Vitality at 107 and Beyond”.

2012 Senior Awards Luncheon, Doris Hudson Pioneer Award Recipient

 

 

Doris Hudson

Doris Hudson

Senior Awards Luncheon Recipient of the Pioneer Award – Doris Hudson, Service Coordinator, Fillmore Gardens

Fillmore Gardens Apartments, comprised of 120 units, is an independent living facility owned and managed by the City of Phoenix.  It provides housing for senior and disabled adults. Doris has been employed with the City of Phoenix Housing Department as a Service Coordinator for the past twelve years. Doris comments, “Working as a Service Coordinator with the senior population affords me the opportunity to assist the residents with their social service needs and assist them with maintaining their independent living status for as long as possible.

My greatest inspiration is the gratitude I receive from my clients when I’m able to help them solve their problems and meet their needs.  Bringing in services like Gregory’s Fresh Market has been very helpful to our residents because it allows them to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at an affordable price.  It has been so rewarding working with Diana and her staff to provide this service. Our residents are very appreciative.  Working with seniors is very dear to my heart and I’d happy to be able to be an advocate for them on a daily basis.”

Fillmore Gardens Apartments were one of the pioneers that provided support and contributed toward building the infrastructure for Gregory’s Fresh Market Place.