NORWICH – A large group of retired and senior citizen volunteers gathered recently to celebrate each other’s dedication to the Chenango County community in 2008.
More than 400 were recognized at the 11th Annual Retired & Senior Volunteer Program recognition luncheon held Friday at the American Legion Post 189. The RSVP organization has donated 62,660 hours to 50 non-profit agencies in Chenango County over the past year.
The number of hours is the equivalent of putting more than one million dollars back into the community, said program director Linda Campbell, adding that the typical RSVP volunteer serves three and a half hours per week at one or more agencies or organizations.
“There is nothing ordinary about these dedicated members of our Chenango County society. They willingly lend a hand wherever and whenever asked,” she said.
Retired and senior citizens want to volunteer, Campbell explained, because they see a need in the community, enjoy being with their friends who do it, or simply “want to avoid going stir crazy.”
Newly named Volunteer of the Year Nancy Rolls of Guilford wouldn’t have attended the reception to receive her recognition if the agency she volunteers for, Chase Memorial Nursing Home of New Berlin, hadn’t insisted that she take the day off.
Rolls has been a diabetic support group volunteer for 14 years and began also helping out at Chase Memorial in 2003 while her mother was a resident there. She brought several members of her family to celebrate Friday’s occasion, including son, Brad Smith, wife Jackie, and two grandsons. Her daughter, Tracey and two other grandchildren who live in Cincinnati, would have loved to be with her if they could, she said.
Like mother like daughter is the story behind Roll’s dedication to volunteering. Her mother was one of the first home health care providers in the Wells Ridge, New York area. She was well known for her work and continued volunteering well into her 80s.
“As an only child, I just always followed my mother around,” Nancy said.
Chase Memorial Nursing Home Activities Director Judy McCall nomiated Rolls for the award. “Nancy is one of my treasured volunteers,” she said, “and she’s not one to put herself in the limelight.”
“I’m sure the other nominees are as deserving, even more so than I,” said Rolls.
As an activities volunteer, McCall said Rolls helps Chase residents play Bingo and other games, go on outings, and take walks in the garden - all while offering a helping hand and listening ear. Rolls has adopted one resident who is blind and has no family.
“This resident has blossomed. Nancy has made a positive improvement in the resident’s life,” McCall said.
“It’s difficult for a family member to come back to the home after they’ve lost a loved one. Nancy is honoring her mother’s memory every day.”
The following dedicated volunteers were nominated for the 2008-2009 RSVP Volunteer of the Year Award: Cecile Bartle (1,000 hours); Marjorie Bates (500 hours/10 year award); Arlene Carkhuff (100 hours); Robert Gardner (100 hours); Mary Lou Lougheed (600 hours); Charlie McMullen (800 hours); Olin Miller (100 hours); Richard Newell (up to 100 hours); Ken Pinney (up to 100 hours); Helen Plonus (100 hours); and Nancy Rolls (100 hours).
Extraordinary achievement awards were given to Alice Pollock with 2,300 hours and Esther Butler with 3,500 hours.
Eleven RSVP volunteers receiving their 10-year awards were: Margorie Bates, Wilbur Day, Peter Ferrante, Chris Foster, Joyce Gohl, Aurelia Hoffman, James Robins, Nola Robison, Bessie Somers, Andrew Tomal and George Zieno.
“They are all making a huge difference no matter how many hours they put in,” said Campbell.
Opportunities For Chenango, Inc. Executive Director Craig Cashman, who overseas the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, put it even more succinctly:
“We just don’t have the resources to help the agencies that need these folks and their expertise. They have years of experience in vocations, like plumbing, electrical, care giving, you name it. They bring all of that to the placed they go to volunteer. And the hidden part? This program connects people to people and keeps them active,” he said.
RSVP volunteers serve the following community partners: Algonquin Senior Center, Alzheimer’s Association, American Cancer Society, American Red Cross, Area Agency on Aging, Bargain Basket Thrift Shop, Big Brother/Big Sister; Brightman Senior Center; Catholic Charities Roots and Wings; Chase Memorial Nursing Home, Chenango County Historical Society; Chenango County Fire Department; Chenango United Way; Common Cents Thrift Store; Cornell Cooperative Extension; Chenango County Council of the Arts; Dispute Resolution Center; Earlville Opera House; Genegantslet Activity Center; Gilmour Health Care Facility; Girl Scouts; Greene Area Churches Food Pantry; Greene Clothing Bank; Greene Open Door Soup Kitchen; Guernsey Memorial Library; Habitat For Humanity; Home Bureau, Norwich Chapter; Hospice & Palliative Care; Opportunities for Chenango’s Literacy Program; New Berlin Housing & Preservation; New York State Veterans Home; Northeast Classic Car Museum; Ombudsman/LTCOP; Our Daily Break Food Pantry; Oxford Memorial Library; Plum Valley Forever Young Center; Preston Manor; Rogers Environmental Education Center; South New Berlin Food Pantry/Soup Kitchen; South New Berlin Free Library; Taste and See Soup Kitchen; the Welcome Center; Unadilla Valley Senior Center; Valley View Manor; Westside Park Senior Center; and Windy Hill Senior Center.
RSVP is funded through the Corporation for National Community Service, the New York State Office for Aging, and the Chenango United Way.
For information about participating, call 336-6414 ext. 103.