Volunteer opportunities abound

By KAREN DIETLEIN- | Comments: 0 | Leave a comment

According to Karen Kirkpatrick of RSVP, the opportunities for seniors are as varied and diverse as the interests and abilities that her 300 volunteers have gained during their pre-retirement years.

Seniors can sign up to be mentors at local schools or prepare adults for GED testing; they can answer a crisis hotline, work at a rural library, volunteer at community events, or run Bingo at a nursing home. Some seniors are involved in pet therapy, bringing affectionate dogs and cats to retirement homes. A number of others are Osteobusters: seniors trained to educate others in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

If a senior is interested in advocacy, there are opportunities to help out with domestic abuse cases; seniors can teach prison inmates to read; and Ms. Kirkpatrick calls stuffing envelopes for community organizations an "excellent service" for agencies that rely on mailings to raise funds.

Retirees that are homebound can help out, as well by becoming "phone buddies" with other housebound seniors, bringing them needed social interaction and perhaps lifting the loneliness just a little.

"We have 40 to 50 activities available," Ms. Kirkpatrick said. "We have all kinds of things to do." (KD)

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