February 3, 2025

Name: Lydia Weeks

Job Title: Alabama Cares Program Coordinator

How long have you been at TARCOG and what do you do? I have been employed at TARCOG for 12 years. Currently, I oversee the Alabama Cares Program which is a caregiver support program. Alabama Cares provides support to individuals caring for aging loved ones, grandparents caring for children and aging individuals caring for disabled adults. I also provide dementia education in the community. I am a facilitator of the Virtual Dementia Tour and Dementia Friendly Alabama.

What did you want to be when you grew up? As I child, I knew I always wanted to go in the service field and give back to my community. More specifically, I wanted to serve children as an elementary school teacher.

What do you hope to accomplish within the next year? Over the next year, I hope to travel more and continue to network in the community to look for ways to serve seniors and their caregivers.

Who is your hero and why? I have 2 heroes. My grandparents, Leonard and Almeda Weeks. I had the best teachers growing up. My grandmother taught me how to do everything. She was a “jack of all trades.” She had the gift of perceiving the world through a different set of eyes. She saw beauty in everyone. She had a way of uplifting people when they were at their lowest. That’s why I rarely consider anything a challenge and why I always want to provide a positive impact on everyone that I encounter.

My grandfather was a huge servant in the community. He arranged pick-ups with the local grocers to repurpose discarded groceries. He started a food pantry in our garage, and he would provide food boxes to less fortunate individuals. He would often say that he was put on earth to serve others. I try to carry on his legacy of service to others in everything that I do. It is also the reason why I often go out of my way to bring joy to others.

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? I would choose to fly to Belize and immerse myself in the vibrant culture. I would live as a local by enjoying the sights, food, sounds, people and not to mention the beach.  

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? Don’t ever shy away from life experiences. Good or bad, those experiences help to shape and mold you into the unique individual that you are.

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done? I am not a daring person. While I do not shy away from challenges, I haven’t done anything daring and adventurous. I like to play it safe. I would like to go skydiving. Skydiving is on my bucket list.

Who knows you the best? My son, Seymour, knows me best. Even though I would never admit that to him.

What would you do if you won the lottery? Several things come to mind. First, I would take a long vacation and fly around the world. While on vacation, I would identify locations in greatest need. I would build homes, schools and teach the residents how to build sustainable communities. Secondly, I would also establish scholarships to provide single parents with funds for housing, tuition and school expenses and childcare expenses to help build a support system for success. Lastly, I would go back to my hometown in Fairhope and give back to the community. If there was any money left, I would invest it.

Name: Teresa Hazzard

Job Title: Resource Coordinator

How long have you been at TARCOG and what do you do? I’ve been employed with TARCOG for ten years! My job is to make sure that every person eligible for Medicare/Medicaid receives help obtaining a Part D drug plan that will assist them with getting their medication at the best price available.

What did you want to be when you grew up? Growing up I did not have one specific career in mind. I just knew I wanted to be successful. It wasn’t until my late teens that I knew I wanted to be a social worker.

What do you hope to accomplish within the next year? Within the next year I hope to further improve my skills, challenge myself to assist more people and perhaps take on new leadership responsibilities at TARCOG!

Who is your hero and why? A HERO is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. My daughter Bianca Hazzard­Turner is my HERO because despite adversity, setbacks, and many other life challenges she never gave up and persevered to accomplish more than she ever thought she could. I admire everything about her.

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be? I would choose to spend the entire day with my three grands uninterrupted, just the four of us!

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you? “To thine own self be true.” And, to always speak the truth with love

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done? Zipline in Vegas.

The holiday spirit is alive and well at TARCOG. What started out as a door decorating contest blossomed into a full blown decorating competition with staff coming in on their off time and over weekends to create some spectacular decorations. The Polar Express Team won the competition this year. Click here to view more of the incredible festive decorations!