Non-government agency helps people help themselves, stay independent

With its low taxes and relaxed way of life, Sussex County has become one of the region’s most popular places to retire.

That status has its advantages and disadvantages, but one thing is certain: Sussex County has a relatively old and aging population.

In the U.S., according to the Census Bureau, the percentage of people over the age of 65 is about 14 percent. In Delaware, that figure rises to almost 16 percent.

In Sussex? That figures climbs to nearly a quarter of the population – 23.4 percent.

We’re old. (Dear Reader, I’m not talking about you and me, of course, but those other people out there. If nothing else, we’re young in spirit.)

Which means, whether we like or not, we are going to be in need of services. In fact, services for older people were among the leading issues during the past election, primarily the need for medical care.

But retirees have other needs too, if they want to maintain their independence and continue living in their own homes. For them, it’s not always a case of being able to find a doctor, it’s about being able to get to the doctor’s office.

Trouble is, there’s no government agency that offers that kind of transportation service and little likelihood the money will be found to fund such an operation.

That’s the idea behind the Greater Lewes Community Village, which recently celebrated its first year.

“We are not medical,” said Marty D’Erasmo, co-president along with Carol Wzorek. “We are all about all the other details of living that are the kind of things that force people out of their homes.”

That can be something as simple as changing a light bulb or as essential as a ride to a doctor’s appointment.

The Village opened last November under the leadership of Jackie Finer, a gerontologist who originated the idea for the service, and Barbara Vaughan, a former Lewes city councilwoman who helped bring it to life.

For an annual fee of $500 for an individual and $750 for a household, members enjoy a host of services, including transportation, grocery shopping, minor house and yard work, and assistance with managing accounts and computers.

Memberships are also offered at reduced rates in case of financial need. The service area, as it name implies, is Greater Lewes. It extends west to Belltown and Jimtown, east to Delaware Bay, north to Red Mill Pond and south to Postal Lane. Members have to live in the service area and be 55 and over. Volunteers can be any age.

The Village also maintains a list of vetted vendors who provide services for members.

And it provides something just as important: a sense of community.

“Isolation becomes an increasing problem with folks as they become less mobile,” said Kathyrn Harris, a Village board member. “We provide a community of support.”

For some people, that might mean a phone call or a friendly visit.  For one woman who recently signed up, D’Erasmo said, “That was one of the main things she wanted, to have somebody to just drop in and visit because she feels isolated; she feels alone.

“And the volunteers really like to go do the friendly visiting,” she said, adding that volunteers can choose how they’d like to help, whether that’s driving or helping with errands or pet care.

The Village’s goal for its first year was to reach 40 members, which, Harris said, “We reached it in no time flat.” It now has 60 members and is pushing for 80 by the end of its second year.

Following a needs assessment, the Village is also adding social events, such as luncheons, mahjong classes and a book club.

The agency depends on member fees for about half of its funding. D’Erasmo said the Village also seeks grants and will soon be sending out a fundraising letter.

On Labor Day, the Village launched a Treasures From the Attic sale, which raised nearly $8,000.

“The donations were amazing,” Wzorek said.

The sale was held at the old water works building on Schley Avenue in Lewes, across from the Village headquarters. It will be an annual event.

“People said they were already putting things in their attic for next year,” Wzorek said.

The headquarters itself, a formerly vacant building the city allows the agency to use, has become a focus of activity.

Both members and volunteers enjoy visiting. D’Erasmo said, “One person said, ‘You know, I miss office,’ and I know what she meant, that structure to your day. You go some place, the things you do.”

Volunteering, Wzorek said, “is a way to create meaning in your life … You’ve contributed, they feel good and you’ve got a new friend.”

The three women also see their volunteering as an investment. You never know when you might need help yourself. People might start out as volunteers and become members. The Village already includes people who are both.

For information about joining as a member or volunteer – or both – call 703-2568 or email: lewesvillage@gmail.com.