MOORPARK : Volunteers Check on Elderly, Homebound

Geneva Withington, 83, is secure in the fact that more than her guardian angel is looking after her.

The 50-year Moorpark resident already can rely on her neighbors in a pinch, but now she can also depend on a group of local volunteers who check in on her weekly. If another earthquake or flood strikes, the volunteers will swing by and check on Withington, along with a growing list of other elderly and homebound residents in Moorpark.

She thinks it’s a wonderful idea.

“It’s nice to have someone to watch over you,” she said.

The effort was started by volunteers at the city’s Police Resource Center--the storefront that opened last fall. Volunteers at the center answer basic questions on crime prevention. But in this city of few crimes, the volunteers decided to draw up a list and make the calls as a way to put themselves to better use.

Volunteer Jodi Loncaric, 47, has found most of the residents who may need assistance in case of a disaster. The list has not yet topped 30 people, but Loncaric hopes that as word spreads the list will grow.

“We will try to call them every week, and if there’s a disaster we’ll know who to check on and what their needs might be,” she said.

The list includes individuals who cannot move around on their own or have special needs, she said. If a disaster strikes, volunteers and sheriff’s deputies will check in on the residents.

The Moorpark Police Resource Center is looking for additional volunteers. Call the center at 531-9113.