Longtime Menifee resident and realtor Cynthia Nemelka fell in love with Menifee the moment she first visited the city about 20 years ago.
Securing water, food, and misting fan donations for an American Cancer Society Relay for Life event shortly after moving to the city, Nemelka knew she wanted to be heavily involved in community events. Her motivation for helping others comes from watching her own parents, Larry and Dorothy Nemelka, serve others their whole lives.
“I’ve always been involved and have always tried to help. I learned that from my father, who was a Boy Scout leader and volunteer for his whole life,” she said. “He was such a great guy. Everybody knew him and everybody loved him.”
Through her involvement in community events, including the annual Halloween costume contest, Spring Fest Easter Egg Hunt, the Independence Day Parade and the city’s Multicultural Festival, Nemelka recognized a need.
Cynthia Nemelka organized an Easter Egg Hunt for seniors this year. (Staff photo)
“When I first moved here, I felt like the community was not really connected,” Nemelka said. “There was never any way for people to know what was going on.”
To help notify the public of local events, she launched HelloMenifee.com, a website that features city events, festivals, sports, and other entertainment in the area. Nemelka also noticed a different, more pressing need among the city’s senior population while selling real estate in Menifee – social interaction.
“People are shut in. They stay in these little bubbles of social isolation, and they don’t get out very much,” she said. “I wanted to do something about it.”
Nemelka has friends and clients that have suffered or even lost their lives due to a lack of social interaction. She said in her research of the topic, she found that isolation can be equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
To combat this issue, Nemelka founded Angel in Me, a nonprofit organization powered by volunteers whose mission is to enhance the social well-being of senior citizens by providing ways to engage in social activities.
Cynthia was honored by the City Council as Citizen of the Month in June 2019.
Angel in Me hosts events through MenifeeSeniors.com to help encourage senior citizens to get out and meet new people. Recent events include the First annual Trunk-or-Treat Halloween Party, Friendsgiving Potluck, and Speed Friending. A Sun City Walk and Talk event also takes place every Wednesday in December at 10 a.m.
For events like this to continue, Angel in Me is accepting volunteers who can dedicate a few hours of their time per week to assist with programs.
“We need people who care and want to make a difference,” Nemelka said.
The organization is looking to start a Cyber Senior class to teach seniors how to use an iPad. The goal is for high school students to pair up with a senior and help them navigate the device during class. Upon completion, seniors would know how to conduct a Google search, FaceTime a loved one, order food, and more.
Nemelka is constantly coming up with ways to encourage others to stay connected to seniors as they age. She recently created a social media campaign called #PopTheBubbles. Community members can pick up a clear ball from the Angel in Me office that has a clear balloon, a small figure, and instructions inside.
“Take the balloon and think of a senior that you know of who seems lonely. Put the figure in the balloon and blow up the balloon. Put it somewhere to remind you that you want to reach out to them just once a week to the point where you see that it’s making a difference,” Nemelka said. “Once you feel like you’ve accomplished that, you can pop that bubble.”
Visit PopTheBubbles.org for more details. The Angel in Me office is located at 27070 Sun City Blvd., Suite 106. Those interested in volunteering can call 951-531-3188 or visit angelinme.org for more information.
At the Fall Festival, Cynthia “the witch” awards prizes in the costume contest. (Staff photo)
Cynthia with her parents in the Independence Day parade.
