We are excited to add Ehren Rolle to our roster of contributors. She is a student at Pamlico County High School. If you would like to join our team, email [email protected].

It wasn’t a fundraiser; it was a “Friendraiser,” a chance to welcome potential volunteers to two local nonprofits that are struggling to fulfill their mission due to a lack of participants.

On Sept. 26, PrimeTime and Neuse Neighbors Network held their second annual “Friendraiser” event at the New Village Brewery in Oriental. Leaders from the two organizations that serve seniors set up a table in the front parking lot of the brewery, hoping to draw people in.

PrimeTime, founded in 2001 as part of the Oriental United Methodist Church, has been providing seniors of Pamlico County with transportation, health services and activities to boost their physical, mental and social well-being. From offering at-home care to hosting a weekly breakfast gathering, PrimeTime has touched the lives of over 2,000 people across the county.

However, Sharon Stephenson, a retired physician and board member for PrimeTime, said the organization has had a hard time providing some of these services due to a lack of resources and volunteers. "We lost a lot of funding, so we don’t have a parish nurse anymore," she said.

PrimeTime has built its foundation on providing physical and spiritual aid, but without adequate support, continuing to do so has become difficult.

According to David Tikkala, president of Neuse Neighbors Network, part of the national Village to Village network, maintaining a successful nonprofit is all about community. “It’s … as natural as neighbor helping neighbor across the street,” he said.

Since its founding in 2018 by Mary Ann Parham, Doug Sligh and other community members, that’s essentially what the self-funded Neuse Neighbors Network has been all about: lending a helping hand when you can.

It’s a simple program where volunteers can perform tasks such as changing a light bulb, taking someone to a doctor’s appointment or offering recommendations about other service providers, such as  electricians and plumbers.

What appeals most to volunteers is the flexibility and reward of connecting with fellow community members. Volunteers get to choose when and how to help, either as a volunteer or as a member, and receive daily emails that match tasks to their interests and availability. “You can decide, ‘Oh, that fits my schedule’ or not,” Tikkala said. “Everybody can chip in at one point.”

That’s something that may persuade Veronica McKay, a local woman who stopped by the table and expressed interest in possibly becoming a volunteer. McKay explained that she takes all of her commitments very seriously, but already has a pretty busy schedule. Admittedly hesitant to commit, McKay wanted to ensure that if she agreed to volunteer, she would have the time to follow through.

McKay’s sense of genuine dedication is  what nonprofit organizations and their clients say they would love to see from volunteers. In fact, Wendy Osserman said she recently signed up with Neuse Neighbors Network in hopes that volunteers would become a reliable source of support for her.

In the past year or so, Osserman said, her Alzheimer’s has begun to progress more quickly than anticipated, making it difficult to do many of the things she used to do every day. Hypothetically, she said, “I could want to go to New Bern, but not feel so sure about driving alone.” In a situation like that, Osserman said, she and her husband, Ken, “look forward to having this as an option.”

Osserman is just one example of how nonprofits have made a difference in the lives of Pamlico County residents. However, to continue their efforts, program managers said, there is a dire need for people to get involved as volunteers.

“If home is where your heart is,” says the Neuse Neighbors website, “join us!”

For more information or to sign up, go to the Neuse Neighbors Network site or the PrimeTime site.

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