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Thanks for the Shopping

As elderly Guilford residents, my husband and I have been eschewing public places and grocery stores, and thank the Guilford Seniors and others for the privilege of being able to do so.

At the beginning of the COVID scare, members of the Guilford Seniors, Guilford Social Services, Guilford Cares, and the Ethan Miller Song Foundation met to try to help those who should not be going to grocery stores and since then Terry Buckley and Dennis Culliton have been chairing the shopping program. Volunteers shop for and deliver groceries from several Guilford stores to seniors and others who should not be in public spaces. A shopping list is emailed to Terry, who finds a shopping volunteer who then receives the list. The volunteer shops and, if there are any shopping questions, will call the shoppee and will give notice as to when the groceries can be expected. That shoppee’s credit card pays the grocery bill by special arrangement, at first with the Ethan Song Foundation but now through the town.

As of Sept. 21, Terry reported more than 1,500 shoppings were done for about 200 people who were able to stay safely at home. As things open up, volunteers are heading back to work and some of the recipients are once again braving society, but Guilford Seniors and Guilford Cares will try to keep the program going for as long as it is needed. Terry hails the volunteers who give up their time to shop for people they don’t even know.

As one who has benefited from many volunteers’ efforts, I wish to thank all those who have made this wonderful program work so well, especially the shoppers for their time, their good sense, their good cheer, and the smiles hiding behind the masks.

Penny Colby

Guilford