Franklin Field Elderly Tenant Task Force Can Teach Us All

It’s no secret that working in groups of people with different personalities can sometimes have its challenges. But according to the Franklin Field’s Elderly Tenant Task Force, good communication and incorporating principles of leadership and teamwork is needed for any tenant task force to function properly.

“It’s very important to know how to speak to people and respect them,” said Sherman Evans, President of Franklin Field Elderly Tenant Task Force who also discussed values growing up in her household. “To know when to leave problems at home is important too.”

Evans and her task force members, Barbara Rice, Betty Cutley, Wanda Drumgold, and Robert Aldrich have lived at the site for over 10 years. They’ve established healthy relationships with residents and management while keeping positive mindsets about self-esteem and health.

However, the group of passionate seniors recently clashed over miscommunication issues, which stemmed from confusion over duties in their positions. Reona and Robert, who sometimes fund pantry bags out of pocket, found it difficult to balance tasks when their teammates took sick days and picked up extra work.

Wanda Drumgold, Secretary of Franklin Field Elderly Tenant Force, who also works with The Elderly Commission and the PhotoVoice Project, (an organization that promotes healthy lifestyles for seniors), expressed her concerns about the struggle.

"I’ve always been a team player," said Drumgold. "I feel as though we have not been team players and that we need to get back on schedule.”

A sudden shift in attitudes took place after Wanda spoke. The members, who generally worked together with mutual passion to help seniors, immediately rekindled their friendships by agreeing to acknowledge criticism and devotion to the community, and to one another. In a matter of seconds, the group was laughing and getting along again.

Wanda Drumgold continued. "One of the things I always ask my seniors in my exercise groups is:  How many look in the mirror this morning and say this is me and the good lord bless me everyday and I’m going to take good care of myself ?”

Afterwards, Drumgold began her exercise class by asking seniors the same question. All who attended, including the task force members, rose their hands in reply.