Otreba fits in at Twin Oaks

By SUE ELLEN ROSS

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – Alice Otreba doesn’t feel like her volunteer work at Twin Oaks Nursing Home is work at all. The LaPlace resident has visited the home and assisted in the Wednesday religious service for the past two years.

She helps prepare the Community Room and transports patients to and from their rooms. She also takes time to talk with the residents.

“I look forward to this every week. I help set up, and then stay for the Mass,” she said. “It’s an enjoyable experience.”

Otreba came to offer her services after talking with her brother, John Villamore. Villamore has been a volunteer fixture at Twin Oaks for 25 years, and assisted in setting up the alters for the Masses.

“John said they were short of help, so I decided to see what is was all about,” said Otreba. That was two years ago.

The residents of Twin Oaks look forward to her visits each week. If she happens to be at the facility on a day other than Wednesday, they wonder if their is another Mass on that day since they connect her with the religious services.

“The elderly men and women are like angels,” she said. “They are so glad to see the volunteers, no matter when they visit.”

Her advice to those contemplating volunteer work is to give it a go and see if it can fit into their lifestyle. “Try it. If you find out that you don’t fit in, you can try somewhere else,” she aid. “At least try.”

As for her weekly visits to Twin Oaks, Otreba continues to see the mutual benefits. “It is a blessing to attend Mass with the residents,” she said. “They are glad to be there and so am I.”

In addition to the Wednesday Mass, Twin Oaks also schedules religious services on Friday and Monday mornings presented by the “Voices of Freedom,” a group of community religious leaders.

For more information on volunteering at Twin Oaks Nursing Home, call Daitrone Kennedy or Theresa Brooks at 652-9538.