JCCOA Warm Hearts Winter 2025-2026 Fundraising Campaign (Kirt Kranenburg & Mary Elliott)
JCCOA Warm Hearts
Winter 2025-2026 Fundraising Campaign
Kirt Kranenberg & Mary Elliott
Campaign: Warm Hearts: JCCOA Seniors Who Kindle Our Community’s Spirit
Call to Action: Learn More. Join Us. Give
Care That Keeps Families Going
With coffee, conversation, and gentle encouragement, Mary Elliott helps Kirk Kranenburg stay engaged in the community he’s called home his whole life.
Kirt Kranenburg has spent his entire life in Jefferson County. Born in Shepherdstown, he still lives in the same part of the county he has known for decades. At 84, he is soft-spoken and kind, finding comfort in the simple rhythms of each day. His memory shifts from moment to moment; some details remain sharp, others drift. He often speaks only when prompted. But he loves being around people, and those social moments brighten his whole day.
For nearly a year now, Mary Elliott has helped make that possible.
She works in JCCOA’s Home Care Department under the FAIR program, an Alzheimer’s program designed to give caregivers the respite they need to continue caring for loved ones at home. In Kirt’s case, the break is for his wife, Ada. Because staffing is limited, the program wasn’t immediately available; Kirt had to wait for an opening. Before COVID, JCCOA had around 80 aides. Today, there are 15. Even so, the team makes sure every client receives as much support as possible. “We give them what we can,” Mary says, “We stretch our resources.”
When a FAIR slot opened, Mary began meeting Kirt three days a week. She picks him up at home, they drive to the Senior Center, grab coffee and “something sweet,” and then see what the day offers. In warm months, they go fishing- sometimes at the Mountain Lake club, sometimes down at the Bloomery. “We catch anything that bites,” Mary laughs, and Kirt smiles, noting the lake is stocked with bass.
When the weather turns cooler, they adapt. Some days they join activities at the center; other days Kirt prefers to watch Mary exercise rather than join in. What matters most is being together. “He likes to watch and he like to socialize,” she says. Simply being around people steadies him.
And while the activities are for Kirt, the impact reaches Ada. The FAIR Program gives her breathing room- time to rest, run errands, or simply gather the strength she needs to continue caring for her husband at home. As Mary explains, “That’s our whole plan, to keep people home and out of nursing homes. By getting him out of the house, letting him have a good time, it gives her a real break, so she can keep going.”
Mary has been an aide since 2011. She previously worked in senior services in Maryland before circumstances brought her closer to home. She says the work requires communication, respect, honesty, and a genuine desire to help people from every walk of life. The responsibilities are real, but the rewards- connection, trust, and purpose- run deep. Many aides left during COVID, and those who remained have become the tried-and-true: steady, committed, and deeply experienced.
Kirt may not remember every detail of his life, but he remembers kindness. He remembers being spoken to gently. He remembers fishing, laughing, and drinking coffee. With Mary beside him, he stays connected to community, to routine, and to dignity.
And in a county where the need is great and every hour of care matters, that connection means everything.
As they walk toward the door together, side by side, Kirt glances over and says softly, “I think it’s going to be OK.” Mary gives him a warm, steady smile. “Yes,” she says. “Everything will be OK.”