Skip navigation links
New Stavros logo is a graphic of white stick figure in wheelchair against black backround with three swooshes behind the chair

Stavros

Advocates for Independent Living

Honoring Our Volunteer Surrogates

Stavros' Volunteer Surrogate Program, the first of its kind in the nation, has a core of extremely dedicated workers. Stavros' volunteer surrogates have raised the bar for volunteerism through their years of service and commitment to our consumers. Surrogates take on great deal of responsibility, and many of them continue to serve for year after year; while our volunteers are asked to make only a nine month commitment, many of them have assisted our consumers for up to nine years.

Volunteer surrogates are people who are recruited to assist consumers who cannot manage their Personal Assistance Services Program by themselves. While some consumers can identify a relative or friend to be their surrogate, there are many who can't. That is when a volunteer is recruited from the same community in which the consumer lives. The matching process is always an "open door policy", where consumers and volunteers can choose whether to work together or not.

Stavros volunteer surrogates come from all walks of life. Contrary to the theory that only homemakers and retirees have the time to do this, our volunteers include people with disabilities, people who work full-time or are managing their own businesses, and people who live full and active lives. The one thing they share is their passion and commitment to help people with disabilities to remain living in their own homes. Surrogates serve for years with little recognition but with tremendous satisfaction when they see how consumers' lives have improved through their role as surrogate.

Stavros is very proud of the years of service our surrogates have invested in this program. We would like to express our deepest appreciation to the following volunteers:

Nine years: Gloria Tuperkeizsis of Leeds;

Eight Years: Erin Doyle Gallerani, Wilbraham; Charlotte Johnson, East Longmeadow;

Five Years: Marie Worden, Southampton

Four Years: Donna Anton, Agawam; Pauline Bacon, Holyoke; Charlene Cutler, Longmeadow; Migdalia Ebrahim, Springfield; Jeanne Ritchie, Amherst; Kelly Silber, Palmer; and Ann Young, Ware;

Three Years: Carol Barrett , Hadley;Sherry Brandford, Springfield; Rick Roqueza, Holyoke; Helene Towsley, East Longmeadow; and James Voltz, Springfield;

Two Years: Thelma Davis, Wilbraham; Charlyne Hoose, Hadley; Karen Sturtevant, Turners Falls; and Sandra Wright, Springfield;

One Year: Miriam Dayton, Amherst; Arlene Delbray, Springfield; Laurie Jasmine, Huntington; Dorothy Wzorek, South Hadley;

Newcomers: Nancy Quinones, Westfield; and Edie Browning, Greenfield.

For more information about being a volunteer surrogate, please contact Sandy Miliefsky, Surrogate Program Coordinator at (413) 781-5555, ext. 350.