TEAM MEEMAW

Join our team of volunteers and make a difference in the lives of others. We have a variety of volunteer opportunities available. Call our stop by today!

Diane is the heart and soul of Meemaw’s Cozy Corner. Working with her dedicated volunteers, Diane oversees the senior schedule and is continuously looking for new programs and activities to meet Meemaw’s vision of keeping seniors engaged with their body, mind, soul and spirit through a variety of physical, mental and emotional activities. 

This incredible group of volunteers staffs the center during our many senior activities and assist with other programs as needed. Their dedication and commitment are what keeps Meemaw’s Cozy Corner an enjoyable experience for everyone who visits us or attends one of our programs.  Thank you, ladies, for all that you do!

Paul is a 22-year resident of Beecher, Illinois. He is a retired physical education teacher with a master's degree in curriculum and instruction. He is 64 years old with Parkinson's Disease; he was diagnosed on April 1, 2013. Jenny, his wife, worked in the healthcare field for over 40 years before retiring in 2020. For the last three years, they have been running a free exercise program through Zoom mainly for people with Parkinson's Disease.

In 2023, the Surgeon General declared loneliness and isolation to be an epidemic. Because of this fact as well as knowing the benefits of exercise, they really wanted to start a free, community-based exercise program. They also wanted it to be social and fun. To that end, they are very grateful to Juan Hernandez for providing a facility for them to work on their passion.

Together, they designed a program that includes stretching, functional, balance, strength, core, low cardio, and high cardio exercises that do not require much equipment. The program consists of a warmup, HIIT followed by a cool down. They incorporate beginning and intermediate forms of each exercise.

The benefits of exercise are well known. These include cardiovascular health, improved sleep, building self-confidence, clearer thinking, coping with stress and depression, as well as improving the ability to learn.

Paul has found that exercise has helped him slow down the progression of Parkinson's Disease, stating "One of my favorite things is to have people say to me, I didn't even know you had Parkinson's". They are honored that Meemaw's Cozy Corner has welcomed them into their wonderful community.

We welcome and “Thank” Jenny & Paul for leading our exercise classes!

Karla Wcisel always wanted to learn to play the guitar and began playing during the pandemic.  Karla primarily learned from online resources and with guidance from her son, Joseph Wcisel.  Kicking It Back’s Juan Hernandez encouraged her to pay it forward by helping people get started with learning to play the guitar.  

Karla is the beginning guitar lesson instructor at Kicking It Back, and she hopes others will also find the joy, creativity, confidence, relaxation, stress reduction, enhanced cognitive functioning, socialization, fulfillment, enrichment, dexterity, well-being, and sense of accomplishment that comes from playing the guitar.

We welcome and "Thank" Karla for teaching guitar lessons!

Lynne started practicing yoga around 2008. She has been guiding multiple classes a week since receiving my 200-hour RYT certification in February of 2016. Lynne says she will forever be a student as she continues her education/journey each year taking classes and attending workshops/festivals. 

Her classes are designed to bring about mindfulness using our breath as a guide while creating a deeper awareness of how one body, mind and breath are connected. Individuals will build strength, balance, gain flexibility; as well as work on a range of mobility, self-discovery and self-transformation when exploring movement or sitting in stillness through shapes and postures. 

We welcome and “Thank” Lynne for teaching our class!