Fulfilled Twilight Wishes

Donna B., 73, Greensburg, PA

May 18, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Donna Burns, 73, a resident of Greensburg, PA, had her wish for a lift chair granted, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. She has arthritis and is in pain much of the time. It is difficult for her to get up and out of her chair on her own. Having her wish granted will greatly improve her quality of life.

Luann J., 69, Greensburg, PA

May 18, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Luann Johnson, 69, a resident of Greensburg, PA, had his wish for a lift chair granted, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. Johnson had an old recliner, but it was worn out and becoming unsafe to use. She was very grateful to have this wish granted!

Earl S., 66, Greensburg, PA

May 18, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Earl Shandorf, 66, a resident of Greensburg, PA, had his wish for transportation to his daughter’s college graduation granted, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. Shandorf was in a motorcycle accident in early April and is in rehab in Pittsburgh. He needed to be transported in a wheelchair accessible vehicle to and from graduation, but the cost was too much for the family to afford. In 2014, Shandorf suffered a brain aneurysm and was in a coma and then brain injury rehab which caused him to miss his daughter’s high school graduation. His daughter postponed going to college in order to help care for him which is why attending her college graduation was so important to him. This special wish was granted on April 29, 2023.

Roger S., 83, Greensburg, PA

May 18, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Roger Stern, 83, a resident of Greensburg, PA, had his wish for a lift chair granted by our Westmoreland County chapter recently. Stern lives on his own and suffers from several medical issues which make it difficult for him to stand from a seated position. His old recliner has been repaired multiple times and is in poor condition. Because he lives on a fixed income, he could not afford a lift chair on his own. Stern is a retired art teacher who was very active in community theater, both onstage and behind the scenes in production with both Apple Hill and Ligonier Players. He was also involved in Christ Church, directing children in pageants and participating in the Salad Bars held there.

Marcella P., 84, Greensburg, PA

May 18, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Marcella Potocnak had her wish for a new couch granted, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. Potocnak, 84, had an old couch that she had bought at a second hand store 20 years ago and the springs were starting to poke through it. Due to several medical issues including spinal stenosis and neuropathy, she spends her days mostly in her apartment and on her couch. Potocnak has never had new furniture and wished for a new, comfortable couch. She was thrilled to have this simple wish granted!

Bertha D., 91, Greensburg, PA

May 17, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Bertha Dean, a resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, recently had her wish for a CD player granted, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. Dean, 91, lives on her own. She loves music and has lots of CDs, but had no way to play them as her CD player broke. Dean thrilled to have this simple wish granted!

Sally B., 82, Greensburg, PA

February 22, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Sally Brisbane, a resident of Westmoreland Manor in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, had her wish to have dinner at Red Lobster granted, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. Brisbane, 82, has been a resident of Westmoreland Manor for over four years. She has very few family members nearby and is wheelchair bound so it is difficult for her to leave the facility. Brisbane is well known in Westmoreland Manor for cheering up other residents and is the treasurer of the Resident Council there. She was nominated by Renee Kessler, another resident there who had her wish granted last summer. Brisbane enjoyed dinner at Red Lobster with several of the Westmoreland County chapter volunteers. Thank you to Red Lobster for donating appetizers for this special meal. Thank you also to Fayette EMS for assisting with the transportation of Brisbane even though it is out of their service area.

Ella P., 82, Jeannette, PA

January 17, 2023/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Ella Powell, a resident of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, had her wish for a lift chair granted by our Westmoreland County Chapter. Powell, 82, needs a lift chair in order to assist her with her mobility and motivate her in her goal to to walk again. She needs to rotate her body frequently and sit properly in order to stimulate and strengthen her muscles. Because she lives on a fixed income, she could not afford the chair on her own. Powell had been very active in her community volunteering for many years at the Salvation Army.

Elaine K., 79, Greensburg, PA

November 28, 2022/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

Elaine Kempher, 79, a resident of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, recently had her wish for a lift chair granted. Kempher had been on hospice and was provided a reclining lift chair as a benefit of that program. Happily, she no longer needs hospice care, but the former hospice provider took the chair back. Kempher spends most of her time in the recliner, even sleeps in it, so she needed it replaced quickly. Thank you to Blackburn’s for discounting the cost of the chair for her.

Irwin Senior Center, Irwin, PA

October 24, 2022/in Fulfilled Wishes/by Mary Farrell

The Irwin Senior Center was gifted 30 cardio drumming sets, thanks to our Westmoreland County chapter. The Irwin Senior Center recently opened in the basement of the First United Methodist Church and depends completely on volunteers and donations to run its programs which include crafts, games, musical entertainment, special events and exercise classes. Recently, they held a cardio drumming class and it was the most attended exercise class they have held to date! Cardio drumming is a low-impact workout that people of all ages and fitness levels can do using drumsticks, an exercise ball and a basket to hold the ball.

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