Project Grant 19SRWTX003

RUNNINGWATER DRAW RETIRED SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM (RSVP) IS A FEDERALLY SUPPORTED GRANT PROGRAM SERVING THREE RURAL COUNTIES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE AND SOUTH PLAINS FOR OVER 45 YEARS. FLOYD, HALE AND LAMB COUNTIES ENCOMPASS 3,013 SQUARE MILES. PLAINVIEW, THE MOST POPULATED CITY IN THE AREA, WAS DESIGNATED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AS A "CERTIFIED RETIREMENT COMMUNITY". THE GOOD QUALITY OF LIFE, HEALTHCARE, AFFORDABLE SENIOR HOUSING, REASONABLY PRICED MEALS AT THE LOCAL SENIOR CENTER, AND OTHER FUN ACTIVITIES MAKE LIVING PLEASANT IN OUR SMALL TOWN ATMOSPHERE. A FEW NOTABLE LOCAL ATTRACTIONS LIKE PLAINVIEW POINT, A HISTORICAL MARKER THAT RECOGNIZES A SITE NEAR THE RUNNINGWATER DRAW, PAYS HOMAGE TO DISTINCTIVE SPEAR POINTS DISCOVERED AND ASSOCIATED WITH THE FOSSILIZED REMAINS OF ABOUT 100 BISON. JUST PAST THE HISTORICAL MARKER, RISING UP TO 22 FOOT IN THE AIR, A LARGE ARROW MARKS THE SPOT OF THE QUANAH PARKER TRAIL. THROUGHOUT TOWN RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALSO SPOT LARGE PAINTED FIBERGLASS COWS ARTISTICALLY HIGHLIGHTING IMPORTANT LANDMARKS AND CREATIVELY SHOWCASING HISTORICAL THEMES ACROSS PLAINVIEW. HALE COUNTY IS ALSO SLATED TO BECOME THE SITE OF THE WORLD'S LARGEST WIND FARM, A RECENTLY FORMED ENERGY PARTNERSHIP HAS ANNOUNCED. HALE COMMUNITY ENERGY SAYS IT PLANS TO ERECT BETWEEN 500 AND 650 WIND TURBINES ON MORE THAN 122,000 ACRES WITHIN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. THAT PENCILS OUT TO ABOUT 190 SQUARE MILES. THE PROJECT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE 1,100 MEGAWATTS OF RENEWABLE ENERGY, ACCORDING TO TRI-GLOBAL ENERGY, ITS PARENT COMPANY. BY INTEGRATING SENIOR SERVICE ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMS, RSVP OFFERS THE VALUES, EXPERIENCES, EMOTIONS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND EXPERTISE OF OUR VOLUNTEERS TO CREATE A STRONG COMMUNITY CONNECTION. THROUGH THE COORDINATION OF VOLUNTEER EFFORTS WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS AND BY COMMUNICATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF RSVP STAFF, VOLUNTEERS MOBILIZE IN EFFORTS PROVIDING STRATEGIC SELFLESS SERVICE ACROSS THE COMMUNITY THROUGH A VARIETY OF PROGRAMS. AN ESTIMATED 245 RSVP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE ELDERLY, HOME-BOUND, DISABLED, VETERANS, LOW-INCOME ADULTS, AND CHILDREN THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS AT 33 VOLUNTEER STATIONS IN FLOYD, HALE AND LAMB COUNTIES. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA FOR RUNNINGWATER DRAW RSVP WILL BE HEALTHY FUTURES AND AN ESTIMATED 47 UNDUPLICATED VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME BASED ASSIGNMENTS. SERVICE ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE RSVP VOLUNTEERS SERVING HOME-BOUND, OLDER ADULTS, UNEMPLOYED, UNDER EMPLOYED, VETERANS, THEIR FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES THROUGH SITES PROVIDING FOOD DELIVERY. AT THE END OF THE 36 MONTH PERFORMANCE PERIOD, 300 INDIVIDUALS ASSISTED THROUGH FOOD DELIVERY, WILL REPORT HAVING INCREASED SOCIAL SUPPORT OR IMPROVED CAPACITY FOR INDEPENDENT LIVING. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $46,540 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED BY $50,458 OF NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES.