Senior News June, 2002 Vol. 21. No.  6

 

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

On the Dock: Cap'n Jay and First Mate get out on the water together

Briefs

Remembering Spirit: Celebrating the wheel of the year

SHARE: Relationships form when retired folks make connections in schools

Crescent City: Northcoast Redwoods Writers Conference set

McKinleyville: What's going on?

HumGuide boasts new look, services

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SHARE
Relationships form and deepen when retired folks make connections in schools
by Daniel Blaine

The retired and senior residents of the North Coast area commit themselves to each other, to younger generations and to volunteering in their communities. Many older adults find volunteering an excellent opportunity to use their life experience and skills to make a difference in the lives of others.

"Volunteering feels good, and working with children is rewarding because they give to me as much or more than I give to them," said Linda Hoffman, a retired Eureka resident. Hoffman is involved with Seniors in Humboldt As Resources in Education (SHARE) volunteer program, and she has spent two years with the program after retiring from her career of 20 years as a marriage and family therapist.

The SHARE program places volunteering seniors into community schools where they teach and speak to students about their life experiences. Volunteers in the SHARE program tutor children on topics of social science, arts and humanities and travels around the world. They also have an opportunity to participate in the Pen Pal program.

Hoffman began volunteering three hours a week. She said when she first decided to be a volunteer she was apprehensive about it. However, she said volunteering is so rewarding and gratifying that she increased the amount of time she volunteers to 10 to 12 hours a week.

Hoffman, like many other senior volunteers, discovered the SHARE program through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. The program currently enrolls 970 volunteers and places new volunteers older than 55 in one or more of its 300 different volunteer programs. Placement coordinator Gail Gai directs new volunteers through an assessment program. She matches individual interests with the needs of different volunteer programs.

"It's a very supportive process all of the way through," Hoffman said. "Gail introduced me to the teacher and helped us to develop a schedule that is beneficial to both of us."

RSVP volunteers make differences in their communities by providing support for nonprofit agencies, recycling programs and feeding the homeless and hungry. Among the various programs RSVP staffs are St. Vincent de Paul Society, the Humane Society and Katie's Krafters.

For more information about how to become a volunteer in one of more than 300 different programs, contact Gail Gai at RSVP, 707-442-3711.

Daniel Blaine is studying Journalism at HSU. This story was written as part of his service learning class. His e-mail is danblaine96@yahoo.com.