It’s Volunteer Appreciation Week! Meet Valerie Davenport, volunteer and long-time supporter of CMSS’ West Suburban Senior Center.
Valerie has been active in the West suburban community for nearly two decades. She first came to West Suburban Senior Center when she was working at a local bank. Each year, the bank encouraged employees to donate to a local non-profit organization. Valerie wanted to contribute to a small organization that made a difference in her community. Her research led her to the West Suburban Senior Center, and Valerie appreciated the organization’s mission of serving as a resource and gathering place for seniors.
Over the years, Valerie’s relationship with the organization deepened. As her son and her niece were preparing to graduate from high school, they met their community service requirement by volunteering at the Senior Center. Years later, Valerie’s father moved in with her family in Bellwood after he was diagnosed with dementia. The West Suburban Senior Center became an important social outlet for her father, who regularly attended programs with his caregiver. Valerie’s dad had always been an extrovert – a social butterfly who thrived when interacting with others. Finding community at the Senior Center brought joy and fun to his later years.
In 2023, Valerie began volunteering at the Senior Center as well, greeting participants and manning the doors, helping prepare for events, and responding to requests around the building. Valerie has brought smiles to the faces of seniors and has helped us run programming and events more smoothly. Thank you, Valerie, for your dedication to older adults in Bellwood and the surrounding communities and for your support of our non-profit organization!
About West Suburban Senior Center, Valerie says, “I always knew that our seniors need support and community. West Suburban Senior Center checks all the boxes. Many older adults are on a fixed income, and here they can access nutritious meals for a small, suggested donation. Many older adults need companionship and joy in their lives, and many aging people experience loneliness, especially those who live alone. This place helps with all of that. Here we bring people together, offering companionship, exercises, music, and games. I’m so happy that this place exists for seniors, and I enjoy being part of this community.”
