Feb 1, 2015 | Uncategorized
As we begin a new year in earnest, I would like to recap 2014 to build upon these experiences and achievements to reach even greater heights for 2015. Thanks to the countless volunteers, sponsors, supporters, Service Coordinators, Celebrated Seniors and all of the unheralded but vital part of the Gregory fresh Market team. We salute you. Thank you.
Gregory’s Fresh Market (GFM) is a division of Diana Gregory Outreach Services. It provides Arizona’s seniors with on-site farmers markets to further the nutrition, education and fitness of this critical yet often neglected segment of our population. In the month of December alone, Gregory’s Fresh Market provided free bags of fresh fruits and vegetables to more than 2,000 seniors in Arizona’s high-need areas. The seniors were very appreciative of their early Christmas presents. For the fourth year, GFM achieved another milestone in its holiday food drive program for seniors. We expanded the Holiday Food Drive for seniors by 67%.
We thank Living Spirit, shown in the photo with Diana Gregory, for donating their talents to provide entertainment and joy by singing Christmas carols with the seniors at Maryvale Parkway Terrace senior apartments. Living Spirit is a group of music ministers devoted to performing spirit filled music to a wide variety of audiences.
We’re very grateful to ONECare by Care1st Health Plan of Arizona, Southwest Airlines and Walgreens for their support as Presenting sponsors for the GFM senior holiday food drive program. Funds raised from the Third Annual Senior Awards program in September 2014 made it possible for GFM to expand the food program to 30 locations. Young or old, the joy of the Christmas season is infectious.
During other months of the year, we consistently delivered affordable superior quality fresh fruits and vegetables monthly to the senior citizen complexes we serve. We also participated in health fairs, nutrition, health and exercise workshops to further advance the health and well-being of our seniors, and provided the farmers market for Senior Days at Walgreens.
In September, we held our Third Annual Senior Awards luncheon where we honored and celebrated the achievements of some extraordinary individuals such as Mr. Calvin Good, recipient of the Dick Gregory Humanitarian Award. Mr. Goode served eleven consecutive terms from 1972 to 1994 as a member of the Phoenix City Council, longer than any other person ever. He dedicated his life to promoting education and the advancement of civil rights. He is an advocate for bringing affordable housing options to seniors.
We also recognized Guinness World Record holder and Baltimore, MD native, Ernestine Shepherd as the recipient of the 2014 Outstanding Fitness Award. Our organization encourages seniors to exercise along with eating healthy, which is an Ernestine Shepherd mantra. In her Baltimore community, Mrs. Shepherd leads exercise classes at the Union Memorial United Methodist Church, and works as a personal trainer in her community. She has appeared on Dr. Oz and the Oprah Winfrey show. Ernestine or “Ernie”, as she is affectionately known, is the type of role model that inspires audiences of all ages. Imagine the audience reaction when in the middle of her acceptance speech Ernie took off her warm-up jacket, got on the floor for a series of one-arm push-ups.
Our third award, the Lifetime Achievement Award, went to Dr. Gladys McGarey. Dr. McGarey is the internationally recognized Mother of Holistic Medicine. She is board certified in Holistic and Integrated Medicine and ran a family practice for more than sixty years. She is the co-founder of the American Holistic Medical Association and the co-founder of the Academy of Parapsychology and Medicine. She was the first to utilize acupuncture in the U.S. and trained other physicians how to use it. The Holistic movement of today owns Dr. McGarey recognition to this tremendous contribution to health and wellness.
Save the date for the Fourth Annual Senior Awards Luncheon on Friday, September 25 at The Ritz-Carlton Phoenix. GFM is celebrating our 5th year anniversary and have many exciting plans.
Sincerely,
Diana Gregory
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Sep 26, 2014 | Fresh Foods, Giving, healthy eating, Independent Living, seniors
Yudi Cesar Artis
Yudi Cesar has been the site manager at Broadway Terrace for more than four years. The Service Coordinator role is one of her many roles.
Yudi comments, “being a part of a non-profit organization that provides safe, secure, and affordable housing to seniors is one of the most important works I have done. The population of seniors we serve would otherwise be homeless without programs like the Section 8/202 program currently in place at Broadway Terrace. It makes possible for those persons of extremely low income to afford a quality home and remain independent for as long as it may be possible before transitioning to next levels of care. This extension is made possible through partnerships with other organizations like Gregory’s Fresh Market, which brings high quality items to the hands of those mobility impaired seniors who are unable to secure or afford transportation.” Yudi, your hard work over the last 4 years is appreciated.
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Sep 23, 2014 | Fresh Foods, Giving, healthy eating, Independent Living
Debbie Gallacher
From the time Debbie Gallacher acquired her degree in Sociology, Debbie Gallacher knew she was destined for community and public service. Over the past 15 years, she has fulfilled her destiny. She has worked in Suicide Prevention, has been a substance abuse counselor and worked in food pantry management. For the past five years, she has served 94 residents as a service coordinator for Biltmore Properties. Her activities there have included: coordinating visits by Mayo Clinic student nurses, organizing community Christmas parties for residents, and organizing Brown Bag educational lunches and various food programs including visits from Gregory Fresh Market. Debbie says, “Gregory’s Fresh Farmers Market helps the 94 residents of the Arizona Retirement Homes by delivering the freshest and best quality produce to seniors who are not able to get out. The produce keeps for many days longer than store bought produce saving the residents money because they can use all the produce without any waste. The produce helps the seniors stay healthier than they would without it. It also saves the seniors money by not needing a cab to get to and from the store.”
Debbie’s other projects include: working to add a bus stop closer to Biltmore and soliciting local support to purchase a van to transport her residents to and from the Tempe Adult Community Center. A few of her major accomplishments include: helping 50 residents gain financial assistance on their utility bills and helping her residents give back to the community by utilizing time, effort, and skill to quilt blankets and knit hats for area hospices and shelters. Her team also sponsors holiday toy drives and cards for local school children.
Debbie Gallacher takes great pride in her accomplishments and helping to restore seniors a sense of independence and pride in the seniors. In this and other ways, she is the consummate social worker, giving back in service to our community. Congratulations on receiving the Advocacy award. Thank you Debbie Gallacher for your service to our seniors and to our community.
Tickets are available at a donation of $90 each at: http://dgosf3awards.eventbrite.com/
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Sep 22, 2014 | Giving, Independent Living
Joe Montagna
The service coordinator award recognizes the excellent work in meeting the social service needs of seniors and assisting them with maintaining their independence as long as possible. A service coordinator is a highly trained professional who provides supportive services to apartment communities that provide services to elderly and disabled adult residents that assists them in maintaining their independence as long as possible. These support services include:
- Health care coordination
- Benefits/entitlements/insurance services
- Meals
- Home management
- Monitoring services
The first Advocacy award recipient is Joe Montagna, founder and President of the Arizona Chapter of the American Association of Service Coordinators.
Imagine an elder having trouble with a Medicare payment or a leaky faucet. As a service coordinator, Joe Montagna is there to help. But that describes only a part of his duties. It’s the human element that is also important and, as a former psychology major, it is one that Joe knows extremely well. After three years at National Church Residences, here are a few examples of how Joe assists the 100 residents in three complexes. If you don’t have a car and need to shop for food and supplies, Joe helps through the mobile food drives he sponsors to bring you food and household supplies. If you want to get on the Internet to communicate with family and friends, Joe is working on building a computer lab in your building and bringing in volunteers to help train you on the use of a computer. No way to get to your doctor’s appointment? Joe is working on a transportation system that will provide on-demand transportation for doctor’s appointments, shopping and dining.
Residents of National Church Residences are pleased to know that Joe is a volunteer on three local community boards and when he sees something that is needed by one of his complexes, he can spring into action and write a grant request to a local foundation or community organization.
A recent HUD report revealed that service coordinators contribute greatly to the lives of their residents by enabling them to live independently for a longer period of time versus facilities without service coordinators. Mr. Montagna, today we honor your commitment and dedication to the residents of National Church Residences. Thank You.
Tickets are available at a donation of $90 each at: http://dgosf3awards.eventbrite.com/
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Sep 8, 2014 | Uncategorized
BIOGRAPHY
If you ever wanted real-world proof that age is nothing but a number, meet Ernestine Shepherd. With her flat stomach, toned arms and excellent health, you’d never guess that this female bodybuilder is in her late 70s. But she is — 78, to be exact.
As impressive as her physique is, one of the most incredible parts of Ms. Shepherd’s story is that she didn’t even start working out until she was 56.
Shepard had been a model in Baltimore for years, but at age 56 she and her sister Mildred Blackwell went to try on swimsuits and found their bodies were out of shape. They then started taking aerobics classes. The sisters set their sights on becoming two of the oldest female bodybuilders. Her sister began competing in bodybuilding shows under the name Velvet, and Ernestine followed under the name Ernie. However, her sister died in 1992 of a brain aneurysm. When Mildred died, the devastated Shepherd ended up with high blood pressure, panic attacks, acid reflux and depression. Then, Shepherd says her sister appeared to her in a dream, urging her to follow through with the bodybuilding dream they had conceived together.
Shepherd did, and was declared the World’s Oldest Performing Female Bodybuilder by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2010. (Edith Wilma Conner now holds the title.) Since age 56 she has won two bodybuilding titles, as well as run nine marathons.
Also Shepherd says her health had dramatically improved. “I do the same thing day in and day out,” she says on an episode of “Oprah Prime” that also featured Sharon Stone. “No high blood pressure medicine. No medicine for panic attacks. No medicine for acid reflux. By me running and walking, the depression and anxiety just left me.”
Part of Shepherd’s everyday routine includes waking up at 2:30 a.m. and reading devotions from her Bible. In addition to running and working out, her diet consists of 1,700 calories a day, mostly from boiled egg whites, chicken, vegetables and a liquid egg white drink, and she runs about 80 miles a week. She does not take supplements. She is trained by former Mr. Universe Yohnnie Shambourger and also teaches classes at her Maryland gym, Energy Fitness.
“I started my class with 10 people in the class. That class has grown — some mornings everybody can’t get in the room,” Shepherd says.
For her students, Shepherd encourages exercise in any shape or form. “Not everybody wants to be a bodybuilder. Not everybody wants to be a runner,” she explains. “But find what you like to do. I say to my senior ladies — and the men — ‘Don’t forget: Age is nothing but a number and you can get fit.'”
In a video produced by Prevention magazine and shown on the Oprah Winfrey’s OWN television network, it highlights Ernestine’s success as a trainer. Plus, Shepherd shares the age-defying mantra that helps keep her motivated
which for the past 20 years has been “Determined, Dedicated, and Disciplined – To be fit for life.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Television appearances in 2013 and
2014: Oprah, Katie Couric,
Anderson Cooper, CNN and Prevention Magazine Online.
Currently featured in “Ripley’s Believe it or Not!” book as Granny’s Six-pack.
Guinness World Records Winner as “Oldest Female Bodybuilder”, received award in Rome, Italy March 2010.
Appeared on ABC News Good
Morning America Show, Inside Edition, 700 Club and The Mo’Nique Show.
Model in numerous fashion shows. Competes in seven 5K, 10K and marathon runs coming in first place for age group.
Featured in Essence Magazine in 1991, Jet and Ebony Magazines 2009 – 2010.
Motivational speaker for various organizations citing the benefits of healthy living and being physically fit.
Tickets are available at a donation of $90 each at: http://dgosf3awards.eventbrite.com/
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