From Frank ... feeling the Village love

With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks away love may be on the mind. I'm fortunate to feel the love everyday from our many Village volunteers. I see seemingly small, but oh so meaningful, acts of love on a daily basis, and its uplifting.

What am I seeing? Volunteers visiting a Village member with cognitive challenges to just be with them, making conversation, asking questions, and showing that the individual still matters. The volunteer who steps up to lead a Village event and all the hours of research and preparation, coordination and communication that ensure it succeeds. Our volunteer drivers who take members to and from medical appointments, not as an anonymous Uber driver, but as a friend and neighbor concerned about their welfare and ready to hold their hand as they get safely in and out of the car. This is the love that Cupid’s arrow has me focusing on this year.

Updates on February Events

We have several events open to members in February, both those sponsored by us and other DC area Villages.

• For those seeking a bit more romance, the Greater Brookland Intergenerational Village is sponsoring a session on writing an online dating profile!

• We are still hoping to offer a “Stronger Memory Program” and walking groups in both Woodley Park and Cleveland Park. If you are interested in any of these programs, please contact me directly at frank@cwpv.org The Stronger Memory Program is open to current members and requires an 8 week commitment. You work independently for 30 minutes a day on simple math and answering writing prompts, then, once a week, we will meet on Zoom as a group to discuss our progress.

• To better organize our walking groups, we will convene interested individuals by email and settle on a specific date and time. Send us a note if you want to be on the list.

• Our Saturday morning walk, however, is always popular and meets outside the Cathedral Commons Giant at 9:30am.

• In February, we will also continue our tours of the neighborhood call boxes, this month in Cleveland Park. Come learn about the history of our neighborhood and enjoy the company of others.

Frank Finamore is Executive Director of the Village