Pastor Tom Hafer, director of spiritual services for Gulf Coast Village, Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Cape Coral, recently served as keynote speaker at Dr. Piper Center for Social Services, Inc.’s 25th Annual Foster Grandparent & Senior Companion Volunteer Recognition event, held at Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre in Fort Myers. Hafer spoke to the volunteers on the act of volunteering, highlighting inspirational stories and unique lessons learned from recent travels, as well as discussing the importance of serving one another.
This volunteer recognition luncheon honored and celebrated the 200 low-income seniors who serve their communities by working 20 hours each week with the frail elderly or children with special needs through Dr. Piper Center for Social Services, Inc.’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs.
In addition to his pastoral duties at Gulf Coast Village, Hafer is a speaker and published author. Since the original release of his first book, Faith & Fitness in 2007, Hafer has been traveling and leading workshops on the spiritual and physical health connection. He offers workshops free of charge, compliments of Volunteers of America (VOA), in support of their efforts to prevent early disabilities for the nation’s seniors. Well Planet (2010), Aging Grace (2012) and Soul Man (2016) were Hafer’s follow-up titles.
Hafer received his Bachelor’s degree from Florida A & M University in Physical Therapy and has been a licensed Physical Therapist in Florida for over 25 years. He attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary of Philadelphia and received a Masters’ degree in Religion in 2006. Hafer lives with his wife of 26 years on a three-acre gentleman’s farm in Southwest Florida where they grow their own organic produce and citrus, and offer special celebration and wellness events to the local community. The couple has three grown children. The oldest is a Special Education teacher in Lee County, the middle is a U.S. Marine, and their youngest is pursuing her degree to become a Registered Nurse.
To schedule a talk by Hafer, contact him at tom@hafer.com or visit www.tomhafer.com.
Founded more than 25 years ago, Gulf Coast Village is the premier Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Cape Coral, Florida. Residents enjoy active independent living in an unparalleled lifestyle of comfort and convenience with a rich array of services and amenities that are focused on living well. The community also offers the security of knowing there is the full continuum of care when needed including: assisted living, skilled nursing, specialized memory support, home health and outpatient services. Gulf Coast Village is located at 1333 Santa Barbara Blvd., Cape Coral, FL 33991. For more information call 239-772-1333 or visit www.GulfCoastVillage.com.
Gulf Coast Village is sponsored by Volunteers of America, a national non-profit faith-based organization dedicated to helping those in need rebuild their lives and reach their full potential. Volunteers of America was founded in 1896 and is one of the nation’s largest nonprofit providers of quality, affordable housing for seniors and a provider of professional long-term care including assisted living, home health care and nursing home care.
