Oasis was such an integral part of Carmen Garcia’s later years that honoring her memory with a tribute gift seems natural to her children, Gilda, Gina and Gilbert.

Carmen took classes and volunteered in the office of the San Antonio Oasis for more than 20 years, an achievement that she was thrilled to share with her family during a 20-year pin ceremony in 2011.

 

“That was one of the happiest days of my mother’s life,” says Gilbert. “She was so excited. I will always remember that because it was such a significant moment to be recognized for her work, which she took very seriously.”

 

The impact Oasis had on Carmen’s life was evident, even from afar.

 

“We were all living out of town for most of those years, but Mother was independent, happy and had a full plate because of Oasis,” says Gilbert.

 

 

“Mom set the bar pretty high for the level of engagement and activity after retirement,” says Gilda. “She told us, ‘These are the best years of my life.’ And she meant it.”

 

Extended family, extended life

The Garcia siblings knew that through Oasis, their mother had bonded with people who became her extended family. They were pleasantly, thankfully surprised to discover the extent to which people cared about her.

 

“Brenda Schmachtenberger, the executive director for Oasis in San Antonio, would reach out to us and tell us how Mom was doing,” says Gilbert. “When Brenda knew that Mom’s abilities were diminishing, she would just find something else for her to do in the office, something easier to deal with.  It allowed her to stay engaged and keep her dignity. That sort of personal touch meant a lot to us.”

 

When Carmen passed away in February 2015, her children were again moved to know more about the impact their mother had on others.

 

“At the wake, we had a celebration of Mom’s life. It was attended by such a large number of people who were part of Oasis,” says Gilda. “There was a choir and drummers. They all came and performed. It was such a loving and fun way to remember her. You could really see how they all considered themselves to be connected and part of a family.” People spontaneously started getting up and telling stories about Mom and what they remembered about her.  It was great to hear those stories.”

 

Celebrating a life well lived

All three of Carmen’s children agree that their mother would be pleased to know they’ve chosen to thank Oasis with a legacy gift in her memory.

 

“We’re all the first generation to go to college and we wouldn’t have the quality of life we have or the success we have, without our mother’s spirit and effort and support,” says Gina. “Giving to Oasis is a way of celebrating her.”

 

Gilbert agrees.

 

“Oasis was such a significant part of our mother’s life. We want to extend Oasis as much as we can to make sure it is around for others to take part in. Mom’s is one of the best end-of-life stories I’ve ever heard.”

 

To learn more about how to make a gift in honor or in memory of a loved one, contact Lyndsey Reichardt, National Development Manager at lreichardt@oasisnet.org or 314-862-2933, Ext. 240.

“I found Oasis or it found me,” says Tom Weaver.

“Before I retired, people would ask me what I planned to do. I would half-jokingly say, ‘Maybe I can find a job teaching seniors about computers.’”

Maybe so. A former sales manager who spent his career flying all over the country to teach thousands of salespeople how to use computers effectively, Tom is a classroom natural. He figured that out pretty quickly after retiring and moving with his wife, Diana, from Pennsylvania to San Antonio in 2011. He became a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) volunteer and an Oasis tutor at his grandchildren’s school attend, but still found himself restless. Then he saw an ad for Connections technology instructors in San Antonio. It was just what he was looking for.

“We may be retired, but we are still smart, capable people,” he says. “I am inspired by my students, some in their late eighties, buying new computers, phones and tablets; posting on Facebook, sending text messages and emails. Sharing in their success, and seeing the smiles when they figure out how to do something—that is priceless to me.”

Tom has taught over 500 participants since 2012. These days he teaches Connections classes every Tuesday and Thursday in San Antonio. He also has drop-in help sessions every other Friday.

A red light. A curve in the road. A new direction.

Not long after he started as a Connections instructor, Tom was thrown a curve ball. He was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, and needed to discontinue volunteering to begin treatment.

Like many cancer survivors, Tom came away from his experience with a different perspective. Once he was back on his feet, he felt a renewed calling to continue all of his volunteer work and he added a new commitment as an active member of a cancer support group. He was really glad to be back in the Connections groove, too. He’d missed the interactions with his students, which often extended beyond the classroom.

“Many of my students are eager to learn email but they don’t always have someone to email,”

says Tom, who gladly bats emails back and forth with students who need the practice. As a result, his email address book has over 400 contacts.

With one piece of his heart in technology training and the other in cancer support, he had an idea to meld the two. Why not ask his students to reach out via email to patients in cancer treatment, who could really benefit from some encouragement? Tom got buy-in immediately.

Each week he coordinates with an oncology coordinator to select a patient in need of a boost. Then Tom directs a cascade of messages through an oncology coordinator from his class participants to inspire and cheer on that patient. At least 50 patients in cancer treatment have received email blasts from Tom’s classes.

A cancer survivor herself, Jean Hall knows how much those receiving her emails really appreciate hearing from someone, even if it’s a stranger.

“I tell them that I’m lifting them up in prayer,” she says. “We’ve learned how to send cartoons that will help them laugh a little. Tom tells us that the patients really look forward to it and lets us know that we’re helping. One man I reached out to was really at one of his lowest moments. I was able to follow up with a text, another thing I learned from Tom.”

When she started the technology classes, Jean was experiencing a low point of her own. She’d recently lost her husband. Staying connected with her family was more important that ever. She credits Tom with helping her do this in a number of ways, including Facebook.

“Tom is never too busy, and he’s always very patient,” Jean says. “I’ve learned so much.”

Visit San Antonio Oasis

Tom is featured in the 2015 Oasis Annual Report
 

Never give your social security number over the phone. Think twice before you wire money. Be sure to look over credit card and bank statements carefully. Shred, shred, shred.

Keeping pace with the number of ways to prevent being tricked out of our hard-earned money is challenging because new types of fraud are being developed every day. Older adults, especially those who are isolated, can be easy targets.

“We’ve all had one kind of experience or another, an attempt at fraud that we recognized for what it was. This is certainly a subject that needs publicity,” says retired economics professor Dick Waits. Dick is among a group of Oasis volunteers who served as facilitators in Fraud Fighters, a pilot project supported by Wells Fargo Advisors.

Fraud Fighters empowers adults 50 plus to help one another stop scammers in their tracks. With a curriculum based on materials developed by the Federal Trade Commission, Wells Fargo Advisors’ “Hands On Banking” and other expert sources, the project reached over 500 people directly in San Antonio and St. Louis, with information to share with friends and loved ones.

Fraud Fighters facilitators were trained to provide information about common types of fraud, such as identity theft, paying too much, healthcare scams, imposter “granny scams, ”You’ve won!” scams and tax fraud.

Facilitators and participants were encouraged to share what they know and learned with their family, friends and neighbors. More than 83 percent indicated that they planned to do so. Ninety percent rated their ability to identify fraud as “improved or greatly improved” as a result of the class. Over half of participants said they planned to make changes to the way they handle their own finances.

“Elder fraud is a priority for our center,” said Brenda Schmachtenberger, executive director of San Antonio Oasis. “As we are talking to seniors in the community, we know that they are being targeted. It is important that they are aware of the new scams that are being developed.

“Elder financial abuse is a crime that is estimated to cost victims in excess of $3 billion each year,” said Ronald C. Long, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Elder Client Initiatives at Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. “Partnering with Oasis has been a great way to educate older adults about how to protect themselves and others from fraud.”