Volunteers reach out and reap a sure reward

When I was growing up, the elders in my church would tell us youngsters to be kind and respectful to old folks, because if we weren't, we would "reap what we sow."

The warnings were given solemnly, and I thought that no matter what I did or didn't do, it was just a matter of time before I would go to hell in a handbasket.

It took years before I understood that not all reaping had to be bad.

April is National Volunteer Recognition month, a time for people to reap recognition for their hours of service and jobs well done. Many volunteers were honored in ceremonies throughout the Tampa Bay area; the nationwide celebration that began Sunday goes through Saturday.

I view volunteers as people who undergird and undertake. They provide shoulders for some to stand on while extending a helping hand to others.

For those who volunteer, the mission is simpler.

"I volunteer because I enjoy learning new things and being in a new environment," says Joyce Martin, 79, of Clearwater, who has been a volunteer since she retired from the federal government in 1986. "I meet different people, and I hear stories of great interest to me. Volunteering gives me an outlet for using some of the skills I have."

Gail Stark, director of corporate development and volunteer services for the West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging Inc., says that a volunteer is "someone who wants to do something to benefit another of his or her own free will. The key to volunteering is that it's done of their own free will. That's what makes volunteers special."

"Each volunteer has intrinsic needs that he or she wants fulfilled," Stark says. "Very often that is a desire to give back to the community or to leave a legacy, to make the world a better place to live than when they came into it."

Volunteers provide invaluable services that enrich our communities.

The West Central Florida Area Agency on Aging Inc. reports that in 2002, volunteers in its five-county area gave 159,745 hours of service to 16,409 clients. This equals $2,563,907 worth of service to seniors and their families and caregivers that they otherwise might not have gotten. Betty Hayward, the director of Retired Senior Volunteer Program for Pinellas County, says that RSVP volunteers provided more than 200,000 hours of service in 2002. These are impressive numbers.

But many organizations and nonprofit groups still need help. The following list is not comprehensive, but it should serve as a starting point if you are considering volunteering.

Perhaps it is not so much what you do as that you do something. If you have been thinking about volunteering but need a push, here's a top 10 list of reasons to volunteer:

1. To make a difference in someone's life and the community.

2. To relieve stress in your life.

3. To help people maintain self-esteem and respect.

4. To learn skills.

5. To help those who are lonely and need a friend.

6. To feel useful and needed.

7. To maintain health and men tal agility.

8. To create an example for your family.

9. To meet people and make friends.

10. You reap what you sow.

SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders): The Department of Elder Affairs administers the SHINE program through 11 area agencies on aging in the state. SHINE trains volunteers to share information and resources on Medicare. Call toll-free 1-800-963-5337 for the agency in your area.

RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program) of Pinellas County: recruits volunteers for other agencies. Volunteers must be 55 or older. RSVP serves nonprofit and public organizations as well as the city and county. Call (727) 327-8690, ext. 22.

Meals on Wheels of Tampa: Volunteers deliver meals to and visit those who are homebound. Call (813) 238-8410. 211 Tampa Bay Cares: a referral service for those seeking volunteer opportunities. The agency is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so if you decide to call in the middle of the night, the number is 211 in Pinellas and Hernando counties. You can also log on to the Web site at www.211tampabay.com Neighborly Senior Services Inc.: needs volunteers to serve in many capacities, from Meals on Wheels to adult daycare. Call (727) 573-9444. Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay Inc.: needs volunteers in three areas: foster grandparent, senior companion and bill-payer programs. Volunteers for foster grandparent and senior companion must be at least 60. Call (813) 932-5228. American Red Cross: needs drivers to take patients to doctor and hospital appointments, and to deliver books to homebound residents (Red Cross vehicles are provided). Volunteers also needed for disaster relief services and office helpers. Also needed are volunteers with special language skills. Call toll-free 1-877-741-1444; in Pinellas (727) 898-3111; in Hillsborough (813) 348-4820; or visit the Web site at: www.redcrosstbc.org - Sheila Reed, Seniority editor, can be reached at (727) 893-8452 or toll-free 1-800-333-7505, ext. 8452. Write to her in care of the St. Petersburg Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731; or send e-mail to sreed@sptimes.com

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