In March 2026, Kelleys Island resident, Janet Wermuth, joined the staff of Serving Our Seniors as a grant writer/ grant manager/ fund-raiser.
Serving Our Seniors is a geriatric social service. It is unique to Erie County, Ohio. It was founded by a local group of Erie County senior citizens in 1996, who wanted one place to call when an older resident needed help and didn’t know where to turn. That was 30 years ago.
The mission of Serving Our Seniors: To empower Erie County residents, aged 60+, to maintain their health and ability to function independently by addressing unmet needs. social service.
Serving Our Seniors funds the Kelleys Island lunch group, which is coordinated by Kelleys Island residents, Kathy Reddinger and Sharon Herman, two times per week. Lunch is made available to residents of Kelleys Island, who are age 60 or better, at the cost of a donation. Its purpose is to foster social connections and friendships and prevent social isolation in later life. For the lunch group schedule contact Kathy Reddinger, Lunch Group Coordinator at 419-746-2755 or Sharon Herman, Substitute Lunch Group Coordinator at 440-864-0497.
Serving Our Seniors also funds and provides: Out of Town Transportation to Health Care appointments, for Kelleys Island residents, age 60+. The older adults must be functionally independent and able to walk, independently to and from the car to the health care appointment. A volunteer driver will meet the Kelleys Island residents at the Kelleys Island Ferry service parking lot, in a car marked with Serving Our Seniors logo. The volunteer will drive him/her to the health care appointment, wait for the appointment to conclude and drive the older adult to the Kelleys Island Ferry Service parking lot to return home. The volunteer can also pick up at the Port Clinton airport, if that is preferred. The cost of this service is an anonymous donation. For more information, call Serving Our Seniors at 419-624-1856.
Ramps – Serving Our Seniors funds ramps at the permanent residence of an Erie County older adult, aged 60+. Serving Our Seniors buys the ramp and the older adults pays for the installation. If the cost of installation is unaffordable, Serving Our Seniors will share the cost with the older adult and pay the portion of the installation fee that is unaffordable. For more information call Serving Our Seniors 419-624-1856. Ask for Wendy.
Handyman Program – Serving Our Seniors can send a Handyman, who has been carefully vetted, to the home of an older adult aged 60+, whose permanent residence is on Kelleys Island. The handyman can perform basic small home repairs (no electrical or cosmetic improvements), for the purposes of keeping small repairs from becoming major home repairs and to keep the home safe. This program can also install railings and grab bars to prevent falling. The resident must also be the owner of the home to be repaired. A small home repair is defined as a repair that is $450 or less. Plumbing repairs are up to $600 for a small plumbing repair.
Cost-sharing for the Handyman Program is available for those who qualify. For more information about the Handyman Program call Serving Our Seniors 419-624-1856. Ask for a Senior Advocate or a Senior Advocate Assistant.
Medicare Counseling – Serving Our Seniors is a consumer advocate, which provide Medicare counseling to prevent consumer ignorance from being exploited. Serving Our Seniors does not care from whom an older adult purchases their Medicare supplement or your Medicare Advantage Plan. Serving Our Seniors wants to help older consumers to make informed decisions about their Medicare insurance. Failure to understand can easily result in paying higher premiums / deductibles / co-pays, than would otherwise be necessary. Worse, it can result in the Medicare Advantage Plan consumer’s health care provider or hospital of choice not being covered by the Medicare Advantage Plan insurance. For more information call Serving Our Seniors at 419-624-1856. Ask to speak with a Medicare Counselor.
Sue Daugherty, Director Serving Our Seniors
310 E. Boalt Street #A Sandusky, OH 44870
Ph: 419-624-1856
Fax: 419-624-8176
www.servingourseniors.org
