Shady Pines needs the community to help keep their air flowing

SALISBURY, Md. – Shore Up! Inc. is a private, non-profit Community Action Partnership that serves low-income and disadvantaged persons on the Eastern Shore. And this time they need your help!

For the past 50 years, Shore Up’s Adult Day program has provided services for seniors and those with special needs. However, in this 90-degree weather, and over half of their HVAC systems are down, shady pines say, without your help, they can’t provide much shade to anyone.

Seniors and Sweltering heat

A combination that Shady Pines Licensed Practical Nurse Theresa Leap says can lead to disaster. “Right now, we have 5 working units and two of them are band-aid, so they’re not really up to par… We’ll never make money, and that’s okay. but we need money to maintain. And in order to keep things going, we need to get our units working.”

Fans Won’t Do

There are currently 11 units on the premises, and at least 7 of them need repairs. Nurse Leap says their estimates put HVAC units around $6,000 a piece.

“The temperature has to be maintained at 75 degrees or below in the summer months, in order to ensure that our client’s respiratory status is stable. If it rises above that, too much, we have to close our doors.”

Tables Turned

Shore Up’s Chief Communication Officer Julie Peters says this time; they’re the ones in need. “Individuals who take advantage of these services at shady pines tend to be a little bit on the frail side, they may have compromised immune systems.

She goes on to say, “So we just want to make sure that the environment that they’re in during the day here is as healthy and safe as possible.”

Support our Seniors & Staff

Nurse Leap says this affects both seniors and staff. “We are wearing multiple hats at this point, so, we’re never idle. And with that, it’s very taxing on us physically. But also, if we don’t have air and we close, we don’t work, and it’s important to be able to keep the doors open.”

The Shady Pines Adult Day Program is in need of volunteers, funds, and fixes, so if you’re interested in giving back in some way click here.