Rachel & Gladys...

Rachel Mularz is a 92 year old Northampton woman who takes charge of her life by staying active! As the only person in her family to live beyond the age of 80, she credits this accomplishment to her self-proclaimed motto "keep active to stay alive!" Rachel has lived in the same apartment complex for over 27 years and is one of the only residents to have lived there since the first day the building opened. Rachel's only son lives in Key West, Florida and although there is a distance between them, they each find time in their busy days to talk every afternoon; a daily occasion that Rachel very much looks forward to! When her husband passed away in 2000, Rachel discovered that some things that once came easy to her began getting more and more difficult. Her vision was fading and simple things such as writing out bills and organizing her mail became almost impossible to do on her own. It was for this reason that Rachel enrolled in Highland Valley's Money Management Program. Rachel was matched with Linda Golding, a volunteer Money Manager who works with Rachel to organize her finances and write out her checks. "Linda is so good to me. I don't know what I would do without her!" Rachel exclaims. "She's my eyes!"

Gladys Fraser enjoys reading, watching the news, and loves investigative television shows such as CSI, NCIS and The Closer. Gladys keeps herself busy with not only the daily activities of cooking, cleaning and laundry, but she also takes charge of her health by exercising 30 minutes every morning! When she moved into a new apartment building last year, Gladys immediately got involved and joined the tenant association, where she attends meetings, organizes resident events and works with the local senior center to arrange trips. When Gladys noticed that she wasn't spending her money as wisely as she should, she decided that in order to take control over her finances, she needed help. For this reason, she enrolled in the Money Management Program. Like Rachel, Gladys works with a Money Manager regularly to organize and write out her bills, balance her checkbook and plan large purchases. "I'm blessed to have good people in my life," Gladys says in reference to her Money Manager. "Diane helps me a great deal."

Gladys and Rachel are both grateful that although they are enrolled in the Money Management Program, they remaini n control. Although they receive assistance with budgeting, bill paying and balancing their checkbooks, Rachel and Gladys are the bosses of their own finances!

Anyone who would like to learn more about the Money Management Program, or is interested in becoming a participant or a Money Manager, please contact Highland Valley at 413-586-2000, ext. 143.