Behind the scenes but front and center…that’s how we’d describe volunteer Sharon Turner. Her humility, soft-spoken demeanor, and steadfast support touch every aspect of ElderHelp’s operation…and have done so for nearly 30 years. “I’ve been searching for the article that started it all,” shares Sharon. Serving on the board of the North Park Historical Association, Sharon located binders of past newsletters. Sifting through the archives, she found the 1993 article requesting grocery shopping volunteers for ElderHelp. Sharon answered the call back then and has been serving ever since.
“I just do what I can,” remarks Sharon, “and I believe in the mission and the work.” Since 1993 Sharon has been a grocery shopper, Seniors A Go Go Driver, and friendly visitor. But perhaps her most significant contribution is administrative support through the pandemic. Undeterred by the stay-at-home order, Sharon found a way to help from home. As ElderHelp converted to the Jot Form system and implemented SalesForce, Sharon was creating client profiles, updating notes and working tirelessly to keep our operation running smoothly. “We could not have done this without her,” remarks Care Coordination Manager, Elizabeth Wagner. “Sharon is like an invisible automated system. You think you need to do something, you open the file, and it’s already there. She just seems to know what we need before we need it.”
Sharon takes her commitment beyond volunteering. As a Legacy Partner and Premier Partner in Caring, Sharon commits to supporting seniors now and making sure they are supported in years to come. She typically declines being celebrated, but will always say yes to sharing her story if it helps advance the mission. Sharon, your story just keeps getting better and better. We salute you.