GVSS FEBRUARY 2024 NEWSLETTER

Assisting Grimes area folks to stay in their home since February 19, 2011!

Grimes Volunteer Support Services Newsletter

FEBRUARY 2024

Mission Statement-To provide, without charge, needed services to individuals in the Grimes area assisting them to remain in their homes.

President's Report

Hello again from Mike at GVSS.

I hope by the time you are reading this, the weather has changed. As I write this today, it is only -3 and -21 windchill!

Like most people, I am looking forward to warmer weather.

Just a few thoughts on the month of February. It is Valentine month and the love for our clients shows through. our drivers do love to transport our clients to their appointments.

Please remember that without a volunteer, nothing gets done. A big thank you ours out to our volunteers from the GVSS schedulers and Board of Directors.

If you have any questions, feel free to call us at 515-986-5355.

Have a great month.

Mike Bleskacek

GVSS President

GRIMES OUT AND ABOUT

Thank you to Clint Dudley for serving on the GVSS Board of Directors the past two years. Clint has been a longtime supporter of GVSS as well as a driver. He also very generously sponsored our Appreciation Event for several years. Thank you, Clint, for all you have done and I am sure will continue to do to help residents of Grimes remain in their homes.

Pictured below: Clint Dudley and GVSS Pres. Mike Bleskacek

Welcome to Rev. Nicholas Lees and Dale Thompson to the GVSS Board of Directors. Rev. Nicholas is SR pastor at Harvest Chapel Church. Dale is retired and moved to Grimes with his wife in 2023. They will serve a two-year term on the Board of Directors. They are both drivers and do other volunteer jobs for GVSS. Welcome aboard gentlemen.

SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT

Thank you to the Opus Foundation for their financial support to Grimes Volunteer Services. Pictured: Gloria Perry-GVSS, Jonathan Utley-Opus, Mike Bleskacek-GVSS President, BobbiJo Wolfe-GVSS, Mike Anthony-Opus, Ty Turner-Opus, Rick Tucker-Opus, Luke Eggers-Opus and Chris van Jaarsveld-Opus.

We appreciate the support Opus has given us in helping us continue to provide services to the residents of Grimes.

Thank you to Bankers Trust for their continued financial support of GVSS. Pictured above: Greg Means, Bankers Trust and Mike Bleskacek, GVSS President.

We appreciate the support Bankers Trust has given us over the years in helping us continue to provide services to the residents of Grimes.

Thank You, Corporate Sponsors

Please tell them thanks for supporting GVSS!

Supportive Heroes

($1,000 +)

Polk County Betterment

Gabus Automotive Group

Sammons Institutional Group

OPUS Foundation

City of Grimes

Midwest Heritage Bank

Black Hills Energy

Golden Rule

Bankers Trust

Community Choice

Harvest Bible Chapel

Total Family Eye Care

State Farm Insurance – Andrea Sabus

Supportive Partners

($500 - $999.99)

Kennybrook Village

MS Moments

Vision Bank

Supportive Friends

($250 - $499.99)

BDI SIGNS

Community Greetings

Grove & Platt Dental

McAllisters Deli

Supportive

Neighbors

($100-$249.99)

Assumption Women’s Club

Grimes Lions Club

Mid Iowa Subway

Miller Fidler & Hinke

Presbyterian Women

Serenity Massage

St. Peter Lutheran Church

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING PEOPLE WHO DONATED TO GVSS IN 2023:

Wanda Armstrong, Linda Becker

Denise Bell, Jodi & Kathy Bermel

Bickford Family, Mike & Eileen Bleskacek

Jay Brewer, Kristi Brokaw

Irene Buddenberg Trust

Jamie Bunn & Kaaren Olesen

Vicky Burch, Don & Drue Cavanaugh

Vickie Cook, Richard Craig

Ryleah & Alex Cross

Leann Dawson, Tim Dempsey

Ron Engstrom, Rosemary Gould

King Arthur Goulet, Quentin Greenough

Dorothy Greif, April & Steve Gross

Nathan & Alicia Gross,

Charlotte Hanus, Lee Harris

Jane Hartnett & Donald Piegors

Monte & Teresa Heeren

Terry & Michelle Hicks

Marie Hutcheson, Cynthia Kreklau

Kennybrook Townhome Association

Janice Kubovich, Marsha Larson

Bill & Rene Lego, Tom & Mary Letsch

Richard Lindgren, Paul Narva

Ron & Sheila Oolman

John & Katelyn Oolman

Gloria Perry, Larry & Gayle Peters

Randy & Jeanne Peters, Lisha Steffey

Roger & Mary VandenBranden

Elizabeth VanZomeren

Kristine Voorhees

Karen Vroman, Don & Ruth Wallace

Alicia Watkins, Myron & Arlis Werley

GVSS COORDINATORS

Mike Bleskacek, 55+

515-491-8294

Wanda Armstrong, Appreciation

515-661-8282

Dale Thompson Snow & Lawn Service

715-781-5076

Your name could appear here, DME Coordinator.

2024

GVSS BOARD MEMBERS

AND OFFICERS

Dale Thompson 715-781-5076

Drue Cavanaugh 515-490-4967

Gloria Perry, Financial Secretary

515-681-2861

Jane Hartnett 563-608-5817

Loree Herman 316-312-8802

Nicholas Lees 919-239-3147

Tim Dempsey 515-306-0009

BobbiJo Wolfe, Treasurer

515-480-6270

Tim Dempsey, Secretary

515-306-0009

Wanda Armstrong, Vice President

515-661-8282

Mike Bleskacek, President

515-491-8294

me.bleskacel@gmail.com

GVSS STATISTICS

November Report:

Drivers - 32, Trips - 205 , Repair/Maintenance - 0 , Yard- 0, Total Volunteers - 35 , miles driven - 2539 and - 65 hours provided of service and organizing and administering the programs.

December Report: Drivers - 31, Trips - 205, Total Volunteers - 33, miles driven - 2678, 71 hours provided of service and organizing and administering the programs.

DAILY MEALS FOR SENIORS

All seniors are invited to congregate meals served daily at the Grimes Senior Center at 410 SE Main St. in the Grimes Community Complex. The Senior Center is open Monday-Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and lunch is served at 11:30 p.m.

For reservations, please call 986-5747 by noon the day before - and by noon Friday for a Monday meal. No fees for meals for those 60 and over; however, donations are accepted and appreciated.

Come for the food, friends and fun!

Need to borrow a piece of equipment?

Give GVSS a call!

When you have need of a piece of durable medical equipment, please give us a call. If we have what you need in stock, we'll be happy to loan it to you without charge for as long as you may need it.

We have crutches, walkers, canes, shower chairs and benches, quad canes, manual wheelchairs, power wheelchairs, bath scales, elevated toilet seats, bed rails, toilet safety rails, and power lift recliners.

GVSS will clean, repair (if necessary), inventory, maintain and provide at no charge, loan of equipment to our clients who have a need. If you have equipment you'd like to donate, give us a call. We can schedule a time for you to bring it to the office or we'll come and pick it up.

Thanks for your support!

GVSS Office Hours

Come talk to us in person between 9:30 and 11:30 AM, Monday, Wednesday or Friday or call and make an appointment.

We are located at 404 SE 2nd Street, Suite 100 in the Grimes Governors District.

GVSS has been providing services to Grimes area residents since February 2011. Since then we have provided more than 23,872 trips, driven over 306,065 miles and contributed over 48,853 hours of service to organize and provide assistance to residents of the community.

GVSS has over 210 clients and over 60 volunteers on our rosters.