



Founded in 1980, LITA of Contra Costa has provided volunteers & social life
for those living in care facilities. Our Mission is to improve quality of life for
senior & disabled persons in skilled nursing homes in Contra Costa County.
LITA involves community members of all ages, educating youth, families
and aspiring artists, supporting them as Friendly Visitor Volunteers who
fulfill this Mission in a variety of LITA programs: Pet Visits, LITA Music
Awakenings iPod/iPhone volunteers, Holiday project Groups & more.
Send your email to: lita ofcc@gmail.com
Webaddress: www.litaofcontracosta.org
Start a fundraiser anytime for LITA of Contra Costa on Facebook using:
LITA OF CONTRA COSTA LOVE IS THE ANSWER
US Mail: PO Box 121 Port Costa Ca, 94569
Love Is The Answer
Director’s Message
Summer 2022
Dear Volunteers, Donors and Friends of Love Is The Answer,
LITA’s Music Compassion Project continues in strong demand. LITA has donated tablets, plus required accessories like chargers, cases, ear buds and headphones for patient use to Legacy Nursing Rehab, in Martinez, Greenridge Senior Care, in El Sobrante, Lone Tree and HIllcrest Convalescent in Antioch, Pittsburg Skilled Nursing, Bayberry Health Care in Concord, Windsor Rosewood Manor Care in Pleasant Hill & Vale Care in San Pablo. These tablets, phones & iPads are used for vital, safe and prized family facetime and at times for safe physician visits.
Since April 2020, LITA has produced a free one hour musical variety zooom show for any SNF that cares to join onour talented music volunteers on Fridays from 2 to 3 pm. LITA also provide a free link to all shows on Youtube so residents can watch anytime.
Share The Spirit granted LITA a generous amount to set up hands on interior patio gardens for patients to participate in growing flowers and herbs. To date that program has launched in Pittsburg, Martinez, El Sobrante and Walnut Creek. Returning Covid quarantines have closed a number of facilities, but Acivity Directors can continue with free supplies and advice from LITA.
Your donation to LITA goes directly to improve quality of life for the especially lonely, isolated individuals living in skilled nursing facilities. Budgets for things like personal electronics to stream activities are still being cut back, at all for-profit SNF. Delivery of LITA’s tablets, headphones and activity support services at those facilities is more valuable than ever. Your gift will make a substantial difference for disabled, and unfortunately often quarantined senior’s quality of life.
LOVE is the Answer
Victoria Ryan, Director
LITA of Contra Costa
2021 LITA Appreciation Awards
Mae Wygant Award for Best Activity Director went to Margarita Ronquillo, who started at Bayberry in 2009. In spite of an overwhelming ratio of patients to staff, she faithfully sets up many residents to enjoy LITA donated iPads and tablets, for family visits, enjoyment of YouTube and entertainment like LITA’s live Friday musical variety shows on zoom. LITA Loves Margarita! Activity Director Isaac Silva and Margarita make things happen around Bayberry Health Care
Kathleen Berner Award for Best Individual Volunteer went to Michael Domagalski. As of yet, nursing facilities are not open to volunteer events like LITA produced prior to COVID, but without Michael, we couldn’t have kept LITA open and moving this past year. No fees asked, he gave LITA hours of tech support, set up a new HP and printer we had to buy, applied current data updates on mailing lists and even pitched in with the newsletter folding sealing, stamping and mailing. What a Brother!
Patsy Berndt Award for Best Holiday Events Volunteer went to Mona Silveira, the great Activity Director at Pittsburg Skilled Nursing. COVID was allowed to do only virtual celebrations. For Christmas Day she invited families to be guest stars on the Friday afternoon LITA Music Zoom. Cameras on, “unmuted”, loved ones sang carols to their resident patients, many crying joyful tears.
Iris Suhl Founder’s Award Generous Donor and Volunteer Jenny Linn first volunteered with daughter Katie, then age 7, caroling & making cards for LITA served nursing facilities. Jenny & Katie (now nearly 15) organized card making in December 2020. Photo is Jenny (right) delivering cards made by Katie’s class mates to Sharon, Activity Director for Legacy Rehab residents. Jenny has been a valued top donor to LITA of Contra Costa for several years running.




2021 Margarita Ronquillo Michael Domagalski Mona Silviera Jenny Linn

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2020 John Gruenstein Sharon Lobato Mike Ashenfelder Barbara Schneider




2019 Anita May Michael Domagalski Bunny & Mike Daly Mona Silviera

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LINK TO friday June11, 2021 LITA YOutube VIDEO https://youtu.be/S3aC2L_oRg0
Due to Covid19 Opportunities are unavailable that were formerly lisited at VolunteerMatch.org, until further notice, including Friendly Visitors * Pet Visitors * Pet Parades, Variety shows, Intergeneration Appreciation* Family Visitors
WHAT IS HAPPENING: LITA is fundraising to be able to buy and deliver a tablet or refurbished iPad at every LITA served Skilled Nursing Facility for as many residents as are able to use one.
Families can do face time, zoom and skype and zoom with loved ones . Physicians are grateful as they are able to see and interview patients without entering the quarantined hospitals
* LITA live zoom concerts Fridays on LITA donated tablets & iPads. Music Awakenings with regulars appearances by John Gruenstein, Hali Hammer Suellen Primost, Rory Snider, Alan Brast and Victoria Ryan


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