C. Melini Starts Fundraiser for CONTACT

OCEAN VIEW — Lynda Melini knows that many of her older customers live alone and depend on telephones to keep in touch with the outside world.
That’s why she’s teaming up with CONTACT Cape-Atlantic to sell $1 telephone cards in the C. Melini Hair Salon here.
The United Way agency makes 64,000 daily telephone calls a year to elderly or disabled residents who live alone in Cape May and Atlantic counties.
“I think that’s the least we can do to help the elderly,” Melini stated in a release.
CONTACT Executive Director Ann Magee stated that volunteers call every client every day with a friendly “Hello, how are you?”
Usually, that leads to a short, friendly conversation. But sometimes, it leads to helping the client get emergency medical or social services.
“Checking in with our clients is our first job,” Magee said. “Our second job is raising money to fund our first job.”
That’s where Melini and the telephone cards will come in. CONTACT is providing colorful, 4 x 6 inch “telephone cards” with information on its service and a space for individuals who donate $1 to write their names. Melini will collect the money and hang the cards with the donors’ names in her salon.
Melini, who is an owner-operator of C. Melini Hair Salon and Retail Center, said helping CONTACT is a team effort with her staff. “We’ll start hanging the phone cards today in the desk area,” she said. “Then we’ll start with the shelves.”
Other businesses and readers interested in helping CONTACT clients, should call Ann Magee at 823-1850 or e-mail ann_magee@comcast.net. For information on CONTACT visit www.contactcapeatlantic.org.