Pelham’s Aaron’s Staff receives donations from across the country

Published 7:40 pm Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Aaron's Staff Executive Director Rhoda Trimble, left, and Marilyn Schultz, right, shortly after accepting donations from Civitan clubs from across the country and Canada. (Contributed/Marilyn Schultz)

FROM STAFF REPORTS

The Pelham-based Aaron’s Staff recently received enough donations to last a “very long time,” after a national organization selected the group for its annual philanthropy project, said Aaron’s Staff Assistant Director Marilyn Schultz.

The 2011 International Junior Civitan Convention was held this year in Birmingham. As part of the Junior Civitans’ philanthropy program, the organization selected Aaron’s Staff for its annual project.

Aaron’s Staff provides free respite care to children with disabilities and special needs at the Linda Nolen Learning Center in Pelham, and is the only service of its kind in Shelby County.

More than 300 Junior Civitans attended the convention from across the United States and Canada. During the convention, Civitans presented Aaron’s Staff Chief Executive Officer Rhoda Trimble with items collected from Civitan Clubs nationwide.

Trimble said she was moved to tears as she thanked the Civitans, and said the donated items will help sustain Aaron’s Staff’s programs in the future. Trimble said she felt honored to be selected by the Junior Civitans out of all of Alabama’s non-profit organizations.

Schultz served as a judge for several of the awards presented at the convention and said it was a difficult task. She said she was amazed at the energy, hard work and accomplishments made by the Junior Civitans, with one club raising $48,000.00 last year.

Schultz said Aaron’s Staff and Civitans share common goals of meeting community needs through volunteer service.

For more information about Civitans, contact 1-800-CIVITAN, ext. 131 or email juniorcivitan@civitan.org. For more information about Aaron’s Staff, contact Schultz at 620-5004 or email Aaronsstaff123@gmail.com.