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Wednesday, March 5, 2003 Evans finds her 'calling' By JANET
MCGREGOR
Gelette Burgess said, "There is work that is work and there is play that is play; there is play that is work and work that is play. And in only one of these lie happiness." For Bobbie Evans, founder of Saints Alive, work is more than play, more than happiness it is a calling and a love. A few years ago, Bobbie and her husband, Chuck, were faced with the same situation many older children face having to care for their parents. After the death of Chuck's father, his mother, "Nana," needed 24-hour in-home assistance. "We were in crisis mode," said Bobbie Evans. "We didn't know where to turn to first, and we had so many questions." At the same time she was faced with helping her father care for her stepmother, who had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. Through her church, Evans was connected with a local provider of in-home health services. She hired them to help and then they hired her to help. Knowing how "traumatic it is to go through and deal with situations while in crisis mode," Evans embarked on a mission to educate others to help them be more prepared. She soon realized that helping during this often trying time could be complicated and emotional. Oftentimes the family must make immediate decisions without knowing how to get help. She created a presentation and began speaking to local community groups and organizations. Over the past three years Evans has given over 350 presentations to civic groups, churches, senior groups, senior day care centers, hospitals, doctor's offices, support groups and businesses. The birth of her first grandchild precipitated a decision to retire and spend more time with her family. Wanting to stay connected, she continued to give presentations. One thing led to another and, with the encouragement of her family and friends, she was soon in the beginning stages of forming her own business as a eldercare consultant. She formed Saints Alive, a senior referral and community service company. "The end of our journey is and always will be the most difficult stage we will ever go through," she said. "I'm here right now, experiencing my own parents' end-of-life journey they have been my motivation to share through Saints Alive Senior Referral." She named her business after one of her favorite senior groups, Saints Alive at First Baptist Church in Jonesboro. "They are one of the most phenomenal senior groups I have even done a presentation for. They are so loving and young at heart," she noted. Regarding the future, Evans says her main goal is to "launch a unified church mission in all the surrounding counties." Repeatedly she has had requests from caregivers for a "short break" from watching their parents. There are not any agencies that offer in-home assistance for less than four hours. Many cannot afford to pay for four hours, or need a shorter break. Evans has already enlisted some local churches to participate in her efforts. Church members volunteer to give an "hour or two" to those less fortunate. She would like to see "all churches come together." She is willing to help get the program set up and to compile a list of those who would like to volunteer. Evans is the mother of five, and an involved grandmother. She is a member of His House Community Church and in her "free" time enjoys hunting, fishing, boating, gardening and can be found at the Fayetteville Gold's Gym working out with her husband on a regular basis. Evans says her "love for seniors has been a motivating factor and I feel a strong calling to make this journey in our life more fulfilling." She continued, "I am grateful for all the blessings that have bestowed upon me and I thank God for the opportunity that He has given me, and for blessing me with the opportunity to share my knowledge with others."
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