Wilkowski calls for expansion of senior volunteer patrol program
8/6/2009Toledo mayoral candidate Keith Wilkowski Thursday said he would expand the city's Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol program with money he plans to cut from the mayor's office budget.
"This provides an essential lifeline to Toledoans who need to be checked on," Mr. Wilkowski said outside the Kahle Senior Center, 1315 Hillcrest. "We can make our community safer by expanding this program."
Mr. Wilkowski said he would expand the volunteer RSVP program to all eight major senior centers in the city.
Through the program, the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio, Inc. and the Toledo Police Department work together to protect older adults. It uses trained senior volunteers who visit elderly shut-ins weekly to check on their safety and well-being and, as appropriate, help with minor tasks at home.
Mr. Wilkowski, a Democrat, said he would make an "across the board cut" of the mayor's office budget, which was about $1.3 million in the original 2009 city budget.
The expansion would be phased in over four years, he said.