Errand Works Responds to Family Call Across Atlantic

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Audrey requested Jennifer plant red flowers outside her house.

'The Red Flower' By Jennifer Wellington of Errand Works

The incoming call on my caller ID looked weird: a number I didn’t recognize, in a sequence that was unfamiliar. I hesitated a moment before answering.

“Errand Works, this is Jennifer.”

“Hi Jennifer, my name is Aric, and I am calling from Germany. I’m inquiring about using your services for my mother who is undergoing chemotherapy.”

My first thought? This is another one of those calls – some scammer who saw our website.

“How can we help your mother?”

“She is weak and cannot stand up for long. She needs help with grocery shopping, putting groceries away and a few other small requests. She doesn’t have any relatives in the area.”

Turns out, the call was real. And my relationship with Audrey became very real: I was able to help a kind and brave woman during her last weeks of life.

Audrey’s requests were simple – grocery shopping for her favorite foods, small matters around the house, short errands. She was always grateful for the help.

Two weeks before she died, Audrey asked if I would buy flowers and plant them in the empty pots on her porch. “Red,” she added with a smile. She also asked if my husband could trim the hedges so the flowers would get the sun. She radiated joy at the results.

After what turned out to be my last visit I emailed Audrey’s son, Aric, to let him know his mother had declined severely since the previous visit. Hours later he was on a plane from Germany to be with her.  A week later Aric emailed me his mother had passed.

The red flowers were an added touch that Jennifer Wellington at Errand Works felt honored to do for an ill elderly woman whose family lived in Germany.

I never told him my mother’s name was…Audrey.

Errand Works’ motto is “We Help People.” These simple words may translate into picking up dry cleaning, taking a pet to the groomer, or grocery shopping for a busy family. But they can also mean a lifeline extended to a loved one.

This is why when asked, “What does Errand Works do, exactly?” I simply answer, “We help people.”

Read about what else Errand Works can do for individuals and families. 

Errand Works, LLC is a licensed, bonded and insured personal assistance company dedicated to improving quality of life for professionals, caregivers and other busy individuals. Every personal assistant must pass a Virginia State Criminal Background Check prior to being hired. In addition, each personal assistant is a Virginia State Notary. Errand Works currently serves Prince William County, Fauquier County, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Manassas and the surrounding areas.

 

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