Volunteers: Essential to helping the Jewish Pavilion

No one wants to be forgotten. At the Jewish Pavilion our mission is "Enriching the lives of residents in elder-care facilities" and our purpose is "To see smiles on the faces of seniors!" This is the core of what we hold near and dear to our hearts. All of this though would not be possible without our volunteers who make sure that we excel in our mission and purpose. Dolores Indek is one of our many volunteers who make it possible to achieve.

Indek and her family moved to central Florida when she was a teenager. She went to high school here in Orlando. Following high school she worked at Lockheed Martin for 50 years. She coordinated community service events. She was so active in community service that Lockheed Martin named a community service award after her. She was the first recipient of the award. Through her 43-year involvement with Junior Achievement she taught prisoners that ranged in age from 14-17 years old.

Her involvement with the Jewish Pavilion is a natural progression with her connection to the community. She usually prefers to visit facilities where there are only one or two Jewish residents. This is where she feels she can make the biggest difference. They don't really have anyone else around to share their experiences, talk, and have a connection. Her number one goal is to be able to put a smile on their faces. When she can make them smile and laugh that's when she feels she has made a difference. She brings dolls and puppets to help connect with her seniors and make them smile.

Humor is always a great tool and Indek, whose first name ironically means pain and sorrow, uses it to make you laugh and enjoy the moment. During her visits she will notice other residents who appear to be by themselves and makes sure to visit with them. It doesn't matter if she knew them prior to going into the facility or not. She knows that when she leaves they will have a smile on their face. She loves the funny stories she hears from the residents. They make her laugh. A resident she had visited regularly told her that he preferred spending time with her to the other residents.

In addition to volunteering with Jewish Pavilion, before COVID Indek stayed active within the Jewish community through volunteering in the food pantry, baby sitting, and co-chairing the Jewish Film Festival. And although those things have had to be put on hiatius for now, she has stayed committed to taking care of herself. She tries to get in the pool everyday. She is in the pool at 5 a.m. and has a full routine. Through physical exercise and healthy habits, her goal is to remain as healthy and bodily able to spend her retirement in the home she has had for over 30 years.

At the Jewish Pavilion we love our seniors and our volunteers. Without our volunteers we could not fulfill our mission. Our purpose could not more clear to Indek whose one goal is to make our seniors smile. If we can make them smile and feel happy then we are helping make their world a better place.