How One Family Gives Back To The Hickman
June 13, 2019
Volunteers are at the forefront of assisting The Hickman in achieving our mission. We depend on these wonderful men and women to serve in various ways, from overseeing the community as a volunteer Board Member to entertaining and directly serving our residents. Without our dedicated volunteers, we would be unable to offer the superior service and exceptional care that our residents deserve.
For some, volunteering has become a family affair: such are Joseph and Theresa Farace. Theresa began volunteering as a manicurist at The Hickman four years ago with her niece who needed to complete community service hours for college credit. Theresa looked forward to spending quality time with her niece and her young daughter, who would accompany them when not in school.
When I first began volunteering, I was looking forward to the time I would have with my family, but it didn’t take long for me to also want to spend time with the residents. Instead of volunteering for The Hickman, I felt like I was visiting family. I came to treasure my visits with the residents and still do. Although my niece stopped volunteering after she graduated from school and moved away for a job, I happily continued. The residents and I shared good and sad times together and they became very fond of my daughter and later my son who was born a few years after I started ‘visiting’ The Hickman. I’m happy to write that my relationships with the residents continue to grow as I keep my regular schedule and perform my duties with the people I cherish.
Realizing how much his wife and children enjoyed spending time at The Hickman, it was only a matter of time before Joseph would also become a volunteer.
A colleague mentioned The Hickman was looking for a CPA to serve on the board. Being a CPA and knowing how much The Hickman meant to my family, I thought this would be a perfect fit for me, so I pursued it. During my initial visits at The Hickman and meeting the residents and staff, I immediately understood why my wife and children enjoyed spending time there. I officially became a member of the Board of Directors in 2018. I had gained a deeper appreciation for The Hickman’s mission and was interested in serving in a Board Officer role. When the Treasurer position opened, I was happy to fulfill it.
Being a part of The Hickman Board has given me the great opportunity to help lead this wonderful community. I relish in my duties of ensuring The Hickman remains financially sound, so that it achieves its mission to be a leader in the senior community sector. It is an honor to know that my work is providing seniors the opportunity to enjoy their later years in a wonderful community. I am particularly proud of The Hickman’s Resident Assistance Fund.
The Hickman has a long history of providing financial assistance to residents who have exhausted their financial resources and are no longer able to cover room and board, and/or additional personal care services.
We hope you will join us in supporting The Hickman’s Resident Assistance Fund by making a gift today. Since Sallie Sharpless and Lydia Hall founded The Hickman 128 years ago, no resident has had to leave their friends and the caring staff and volunteers at The Hickman due to a financial situation. Your donation will ensure this great tradition continues.
Make a greater impact by becoming a monthly donor. The Hickman now provides the option to give a gift on a monthly basis through PayPal. A recurring donation can be changed or canceled at any time in your PayPal account settings. If you do not have a PayPal account, you can easily sign up while entering your payment information.