By Nancy Price
During the next 10 days, as many of us scramble to find last-minute gifts for our family and friends, Jenny Brebberman will be playing Santa Claus to Johnson County seniors in need of some warm socks and blankets and a visit from someone who cares.
“I truly have a passion for helping the seniors in Johnson County,” Brebberman said. “I have been spending time working towards our mission by enhancing seniors’ quality of life and try to lessen their isolation or loneliness.”
Brebberman, a volunteer with Johnson County Senior Services, helped to distribute 1,005 gifts to at-risk seniors last year. “It is very rewarding to be part of the Christmas spirit and delivering gifts to the seniors,” she said. “It is so heartfelt how happy they are to see us because we might be their only contact. It’s a great pleasure to enjoy a cup of coffee with them as they share stories. Many are quite lonely and have no visitors. Their gift requests are as simple as a pad of paper to write down their doctor appointment, fuzzy socks and warm blankets, etc. It’s priceless to see their face light up and know someone cares about them.”
For more information, go to jcseniorservices.org.
What is your greatest virtue? Honesty and Integrity.
What upsets you? Seeing a multitude of seniors suffering in silence on a daily basis. Many are choosing between food and medicine, many are eating dog food, many are being abused by those who are supposed to love and care for them and the list goes on, which is incredibly heart-wrenching.
What do you like best about Center Grove? I feel safe and secure.
What is your favorite Southside eatery? Greeks in Franklin. Great food and relaxed ambience.
If you had to live anywhere else in the Metro Indianapolis area, where would it be? Franklin. Franklin’s infrastructure, trails, restaurants and shops continue to grow and expand. I enjoy bike riding and feel I could ride my bike everywhere. It is very community oriented.
If you could begin your life over, what would you change? Nothing. There are always pros and cons in life. Each one is a life lesson.
If money were no issue, how would you spend it? I would build the building for Johnson County Senior Services and donate to Johnson County Community Foundation. Both are very well run with great leadership.
What makes you happiest? My family.
Pick three adjectives that best describe you. Positive, passionate, happy.
What do I do with idle time? I enjoy reading a good book. I pick a book based on if it’s on the New York Times Best Seller list, which gives me a variety of fiction and non-fiction. I enjoy continuing to learn so this makes it fun. I like to pick a book at random based on that list.
What would you change about our culture if you could? My greatest desire would be to bring awareness regarding the needs of seniors in an effort to help enhance the quality of their lives. They have paved the way for each of us and we should consider it a privilege to serve them as they have given so much of themselves to our society.
What do you love most in life? God and my family
Which living person in Center Grove do you most admire? Sandy Daniels – she is a genuine, caring, altruistic leader. She has overcome obstacles during her time as the CEO of the community foundation and made it very successful. I look up to her as a mentor. I also like her sense of humor.
What quality do you admire most in another person? Strong leadership qualities. I like to emulate the good and positive skills of a leader.
What is your greatest extravagance? Traveling with my family. We are going to Paris, France and London, England area in the spring. I am very excited!
What has been the happiest time of your life? I have a very supportive, loving husband and he raised our girls while I was getting my bachelor’s degree. I worked full time in banking and went to college in the evenings. It was very challenging at times trying to juggle everything. I couldn’t have done it without him. I was able to get a major in business administration and minors in economics and finance.
What do you most value in your friends? I enjoy laughing, so a great sense of humor is a must amongst my friends.
What tenet do you live by? God’s existence and caring about human beings. I believe I am accountable in serving a purpose on this earth and making an impact, even if one person at a time.
What would people be surprised to learn about you? I have been in banking for 41 years and still enjoy it as much as day one.
