Feb 22, 2012 at 8:14 AM
St. Petersburg, Fla. -- At an awards ceremony celebrating the contributions of more than 450 statewide volunteers, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs’ SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) program awarded volunteers in Pasco and Pinellas counties with the Planning and Service...more Area of the Year award. Volunteers in these counties operate out of the Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas, Inc.
According to the agancy, SHINE volunteers in this area completed nearly 12,300 client contacts last year, a 42 percent increase from the previous year. Of these contacts, more than half were completed in assistance to clients with low incomes for savings on their Medicare costs. These SHINE volunteers provided outreach and education to more than 21,000 clients in Pasco and Pinellas counties. Additionally, they spent over 7,500 hours with their clients during the last Federal fiscal year.
“Volunteers with the SHINE program in Pasco and Pinellas counties have a strong















