EDNA DEBARDELABEN

Edna Debardelaben is active in the Pasa Robles community. She has helped planned special celebrations, works on various boards and is an active member of RSVP. She has also helped served the homeless and works to ensure seniors are aware of what resources are available to them.

Debardelaben planned and directed the Dr. Martin Luther King celebration in Paso Robles. She also made a presentation to the RSVP Project Advisory Council about her activities as a senior center volunteer and planner for the celebration. Debardelaben has been instrumental in the promotion and celebration of the Juneteenth celebration, which commemorates the date the slaves in Texas became aware of the emancipation proclamation.

The Second Baptist Church in Paso Robles has a food pantry. Debardelaben supports this as well as their homeless project. She collects and distributes food and helps those in transition to fin housing and employment.

With regards to her service to the elderly, Debardelaben serves with the Senior Nutrition Program. Her duties include but are not limited to being an official hostess and greeter. Debardelaben shows new clients to the table and makes introductions. She performs these tasks with sensitivity to the needs of the new and current diners. In that capacity she socializes with the clients, sometimes provides entertainment and helps the site manager with awards and recognition. She has made the nutrition program at the Center one of the most attended and successful of all the nutrition sites in the Central Coast region.

Debardelaben is also an avid supporter of Seniors Against Investment Fraud (SAIF). SAIF is a program sponsored by RSVP to help get the word out to seniors about the various ways they can be scammed. She helped promote the SAIF meeting sponsored by RSVP in the Paso Robles area. In addition, Debardelaben serves the Center by providing Bingo. The residents look forward to Bingo four times a month on every Wednesday. She secured the help of a local radio personality as “caller,” and her help has caused the event to be a marked success.

Debardelaben is also a member of the Paso Robles Senior Advisory Board of the City Parks and Recreation Department. IN this capacity she keeps aware of the needs of the community and helps to facilitate problem solving to meet community needs.

Debardelaben has an electrifying personality and an ability to recruit and engage others to serve. She has a sincere concern for the welfare of anyone in need, and that is demonstrated in how she lives her life. She is reliable, dedicated and trustworthy. Because of Debardelaben’s volunteer service, she was named Roblan of the Month and Senior of the Year.