Hi my name is Veronica “Roni” Giacomin and this is a story about my friend, I call Ms Lorretta.

Ms Lorretta Crudup and I met just by happenstance in 2020 during COVID “stay home” quarantine. I noticed I had a voicemail message, from an unknown caller. It was from a woman who was trying to reach the Senior Center. Realizing she misdialed, she left a sweet message, apologizing for the mishap, she laughed at herself before hanging up the phone. This happened two days in a row. I became concerned, thinking perhaps, she was alone and needed help, so I called her back and that was the beginning of our forever friendship.

I learned Ms. Lorretta is in her late 80’s, partially blind (due to a stoke), but that does not stop her from serving our community. Ms. Loretta has helped abused women and their children find placement in shelters, she rallies up volunteers, to collect items for the homeless, and spends her days putting the items in zip lock bags to be distributed. Every February, Ms.. Loretta coordinates teams, to make Valentine’s Day cards, to be given to people who are recovering from hospital stays at convalescent centers and she is a known in the community as “prayer warrior” who participates regularly in prayer groups. Ms. Lorretta will randomly send out “Thinking of you” cards to people who might need warm thoughts. Most recently, though her efforts, Ms Lorretta raised $900 in donations for the American Red Cross to give to the orphanages in Ukraine.

Back in the day, she was known as bus passenger #12 in the movie Speed with Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock!

Ms. Lorretta doesn’t get out much these days, but a few weeks ago, she was getting into a car, when she rolled and fractured her ankle. She had surgery and is now recovering, in one of the very facilities where her Valentines Day cards are donated.

Now, Ms Lorretta, needs the community’s help. She’s about to be released from the conversant hospital and need home health assistance. Medicare will not help. So, I’m calling out to the community, in an effort to help cover, one months home health care expenses, as Ms. Loretta is still unable to walk.

Ms Loretta is anxious to get back “on her feet” to continue doing what she loves to do, helping others.

Ms. Loretta had taught “If you want to give, give what you can, cause a little, can go a long way!”

God Bless Ms. Loretta for trying to make this world a better place!