Senior News: April 2002
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Humboldt Senior Resource Center
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Table of Contents
 Elderhostel:
April program features familiar "house mother"
Commission
on Aging to convene rural meeting in Eureka
CSL
Election: Attend a forum and vote for your candidate
Senior
News: Ad manager says "so long"
Volunteer
outreach: Gail Gai has connected people for 25 years
Why
I love to volunteer
Through
Friday April 12: Tax preparation assistance
Plus in this issue catch more news, opinions, features, book reviews, and event
calendars.
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Why I love to volunteer
by Joyce Girczyc
In 1995 I retired for the second time from a busy, big city hospital
emergency room. My first thought was, oh my gosh, what will I do with
all this time? I had a couple of clubs that I belonged to and friends
to do things with, but I did those things before retirement.
At the urging of my daughter, I moved to sunny California. She said, "You
can get a job out here."
I did not think going back to work was such a good idea. I had retired
two times already and wanted my own agenda. Guess what happened? I was
introduced to volunteering! One of my new friends was a peer counselor,
so that is where I started. I made some new friends and learned some amazing
Humboldt County history from the people I visited.
I made friends with women working at Mad River Community Hospital and
eventually joined them. It has been doubly rewarding for me. I get to
be around health care professionals and am able to help people coming
to the hospital.
The hospital volunteers do so many things. They may work on one of the
units, at the information or surgical waiting room desk or at our gift
shop. There are many areas where help is needed. A feeling of satisfaction
comes from something as simple as seeing the relief on a person's face
when you can direct them to where they need to go, bring a magazine or
glass of juice to a room or just help them have someone to talk to. Our
presence supports the staff as well as the patients. Money from the gift
shop is used for gifts for newborns, many special needs and projects and
scholarships for health professionals.
I am impressed by how friendly and accepting everyone is. They are happy
to have us there. The satisfaction of helping people in my community is
a great feeling. I also like the fact that I have control of my schedule,
that I can take time off for a vacation when I want, and I don't even
have to work overtime.
If you have any spare time and want to make new friends and help people
in the community, consider Mad River Community Hospital a good place to
be. Give us a call at 707-822-7220, ext. 4133!
Joyce Girczyc is president of the Mad River Community Hospital Volunteers.
April 21-27 is National Volunteer Week.
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Senior News