Finding and Making the Good Recognizes Prescott Center for the Arts PCA Serves Program

Finding and Making the Good recently recognized the Prescott Center for the Arts and their PCA Serves program. "In March, when we were forced to shutter the theater, we decided our staff could find ways to serve the community in the Covid crisis," said Robyn Allen, PCA's Executive Director. "We reached out through the newsletter, website and phone to see how we could help with the goal of uplifting people and offering them essential services. We had 47 volunteers from all areas of PCA that came forward to help. The volunteers were screened at the office for symptoms or possible exposures, then given masks, gloves, and social distancing requirements before they set out to help," Allen added.

It Takes a Village

During this time, 47 Volunteers managed to:

• Make thousands of wellness checks (phone calls)
• One much-needed home repair for an elderly couple
• Volunteer at Thumb Butte for Covid testing until staff was in place
• 50 errands of various natures described above
• Distributed between 100-200 cloth masks made by volunteers
• Supported the food bank with canned food collection
• Partnered with Toys for Tots at Christmas
• Currently taking daily calls regarding how to get the vaccine
• Facilitating rides to and from the vaccine when needed
• Producing the PSA on Covid Stress for our community
  In addition to this effort, volunteers from PCA Serves were also provided to Thumb Butte Medical, and the food bank. "Over the last year phone calls have made a huge difference for people who are too high-risk to go anywhere even with proper precautions. If we could not supply the need, we resourced it and followed up with the person in need. Suzy Campbell and I have supervised the program and fielded the calls and requests together all year. We recently started a series of PSA's on how to manage Covid stress on our newsletter and website. The call team is currently placing wellness calls again to offer assistance for vaccine information and transport," added Laine Murphy, PCA Business Manager.
  "One interesting PCA Serves story is about Sally Washington, a 94-year-old retired historian who has lived right across the street from the gallery for the last 60 years. Her daughter called us from Florida after hearing about PCA Serves from a local acquaintance and has used our services for groceries and pharmacy. With her birthday this year, she can no longer get a renewal on her license or legally drive, so we helped her get her ID and process her paperwork to sell her car through a local dealer. She is a delightfully interesting person with great stories of the history of Prescott. We have been honored to help her and learn of her observations from the bird's-eye view she has across the street for all these many years. Her daughter has been relieved to have someone to call to help out her mom during Covid," Murphy said.

"Another interesting story was when we received a request from one of our senior volunteers to 'come sing a song, or tell a joke or two.' It turns out one of their family members was failing and they really needed a boost. I immediately thought of PCA Serves volunteers Michelle Grubert and her daughter Lily. When I called Michelle to give her the details, we realized this person in need was a friend of hers! They had performed together in our highly-successful comedy Savannah Sipping Society but recently lost touch. How excited our volunteer was to open her door and see these friendly familiar faces singing and bringing them light. It was not a coincidence that Michelle was the first to come to mind for this mystery community member in need," added Allen.

Share the Good
The Finding & Making the Good group continues to reach out to the community for nominees and encourages everyone to share their stories of people "making the good." That can be done at FindingAndMakingTheGood.com. Each month three names will be randomly selected to be recognized.

The generosity of Gato Community Gives, local restaurants, spas, businesses and florists has been instrumental in providing the gifts of recognition, and donors are encouraged to add to the reward supplies, either in cash or gift certificates.

Visit FindingAndMakingTheGood.com or the Facebook page to nominate or contribute today, and to learn more about your neighbors who are "Making the Good." Proud to be a part of Gato Community Gives program.