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7 selections of fresh vegetables
6 selections of
fresh fruits
7 varieties of
frozen meats
5 bags of
non-perishables
1 bag of paper
products and personal care items
Gifts from a Secret Pal
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The needy seniors in our Senior Citizen Project all have fascinating stories
to tell. Many of them have led truly
fascinating lives. Some of them have
fought in wars, others come from far-off places, and
many simply
have a zest for life which is truly infectious. One senior comes to mind as
someone who has some interesting stories to tell about her life. She has
lived in several different places, and has had some interesting experiences.
That senior is Lois. 78-year-old Lois has led a rich
life, but the poverty she lives in now is hardly anything to smile about.
When we met Lois in 2002, we knew that we could make a difference in her
life.
Born in New Orleans,
Lois’ family moved to Wisconsin when she was merely 5 years old to settle
down on a farm. Lois spent her formative years there, helping out with the
daily chores and going to school when she could. When she was in her teens,
the family farm wasn’t doing so well, so they sold it and moved to East
Moline, Illinois.
Shortly after Lois graduated from high school,
she married her sweetheart, who she had met through her brother, and the two
moved to Chicago. Lois spent her time going to school when she wasn’t busy
taking care of her growing family, while her husband worked as a chef.
Believe it or not, Lois is a twin, her husband
was a twin, and the couple
bore THREE sets of twins, in
addition to two single births. This meant Lois’ house was incredibly crowded!
Lois and her husband took
turns looking after the family while he continued to cook, and she worked as
an emergency room nurse for several years. Lois says she enjoyed this job,
as it gave her the chance to share in people’s lives. After 51 years of
marriage, her husband succumbed to cancer in 1996. By this
point, Lois’ eight children had all moved far away. Lois almost never sees
them, even on holidays, saying that they’re all so busy with their own
families and responsibilities that they don’t have time for her. Her health
problems make it difficult for her to travel to see them, as well. Lois is
very hard of hearing, and suffers from diabetes and heart problems. Complicating matters is the fact
that Lois' meager income of $732 a month is hardly enough to cover her rent
of $200, along with all of her medical bills.
Fortunately, Lois will
never have to worry about where her next meal will come from. We feel
privileged to be able to help Lois out in her time of need by delivering her
groceries, fresh produce, and personal care items which she would not be able
to afford on her own. Now, Lois spends most of her day reading Nora Roberts
and Louis L’Amour novels and working on crafts, a far cry from the fast-paced life of an ER nurse with eight children! She is thankful that she gets
her favorite foods delivered to her each month from HSP. Together we can
continue to see her through her tough times!
Things to Remember about Lois:
• Lois’ birthday is May 4, 1929.
• Her monthly income is $732.
• She enjoys knitting & crocheting.
• She has a cat named Kudo.
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