ABOVE: The CREST office, located at 820 Winnebago Avenue in Fairmont. The organization offers a variety of programs for seniors and their caretakers.

FAIRMONT– Fairmont-based volunteer organization, CREST, has a few new programs in the works. As always, the programs benefit the senior population in the community.

CREST’s associate director, Karen Koeder, said one of the new programs the organization is working on is called the buddy program.

“It’s short-term respite care for caregivers who need a break and would like to go read a book or run some errands,” Koeder said.

CREST will train volunteers who will then go into the home and be with the care partner for an hour or more in an afternoon. Koeder said it will be as needed but could be set up on a regular basis depending on how many volunteers are recruited and trained.

The goal is to hold a training next month and Koeder said they’re working on reaching out to potential volunteers now. The majority of volunteers with CREST are generally retired though Koeder noted they could be younger, too.

“We’re hoping to have it up and running by March so that folks can make use of it,” Koeder said of the program.

CREST is also working on ways to connect its target demographic with events and activities in the community.

“We’re aware that a lot of our aging population needs things to do. They need a reason to get out of the house,” Koeder explained.

As part of this, CREST has started to take advantage of its office at 820 Winnebago Ave., and is holding regular coffee hours there on the second Thursday of each month at 10 a.m.

“We also have bingo and our lunch and learns. They’re ways to get people out of the house and be with other people. We’re finding that, once let loose, they don’t want to shut up, which is awesome,” Koeder said with a laugh.

On the fourth Tuesday of the month at 1:30 p.m., bingo is now played in the CREST office.

“We’re sort of turning the office into a place where people can come and enjoy themselves,” Koeder said.

The lunch and learns are a staple CREST event. They’re held monthly in three different communities in Martin County. They’re held the second Monday of the month at the CREST office in Fairmont, the third Wednesday of the month at First Lutheran Church in Trimont and the first Wednesday of the month at the Senior Center in Sherburn. They all begin at 11 a.m.

“They have a different topic each month and a home cooked meal is served. We just ask for a free will donation, but there is not a charge,” Koeder said.

Finally, Koeder said they’re exploring ways to make their services more available to the Spanish speaking population in the community.

CREST operates with its four employees plus the help from a team of volunteers.

“We’re always looking for volunteers, but we have an awesome group of volunteers that do so many incredible things and bring smiles to people’s faces,” Koeder said.

*Editor’s Note: This article ran in the Sentinel’s February Senior special section.