In Rock County we are fortunate to have an organized group of senior volunteers in the program of RSVP — Retired Senior and Volunteer Program. When Ruth Pickett began working for RSVP some 30 years ago, there were about 25 registered RSVP volunteers and it has grown to approximately 350 members at the present time. The only requirement is that you are at least 55 years old and have the desire in your heart to serve others. We have a service contract with about 40 non-profit sites in our county as well as assist other individuals and groups as needed. The month of June we recorded 3,618 hours of volunteer service.Many of our volunteers serve our local military service organizations and auxiliaries, or staff the Goodwill Truck and local food shelf. Individuals and groups of volunteers make stuffed animals for use as comfort in a difficult time to be used by emergency crews and in other crisis situations, blankets for babies and use in children’s homes, quilts that can be used for fund-raising, sew ID markings in clothing and supplies, knit and crochet scarves, mittens and caps for the needy, and prepare newsletters for bulk mailings.Other examples of service include mail delivery in nursing homes, assistance on their outings, set tables and serve meals at the Senior Dining Center, deliver meals to shut-ins for the Home Delivered Meal program, maintain the Senior Center. Drivers transport equipment, supplies, or lab work between hospital and nursing homes in the area, take individuals to medical appointments or visit family members — driving 21,264 miles in the last 12 months; a Readers’ Theatre serves our county schools, nursing homes and local youth home, (and recently the youth have joined the group to reading in a local nursing home). We’ve also implemented a Spanish Readers’ Theatre that includes seniors and children in their program. We find volunteers for the Red Cross and Cancer Society to assist them in their projects from folding luminaries to recruiting blood donors, or whatever their need may be. Let’s not forget the volunteers who serve snacks and visit the lonely and entertain in our nursing homes, help other seniors with their tax returns or insurance questions, and the volunteers who install Lifelines so individuals can remain independent longer. Some of our seniors voluntarily go to the schools to assist young folks to improve their reading skills and be a grandparent figure for those who don’t have this luxury, have restored our historical Hinkly House and give tours there, and moved a century barn to our county fairgrounds and renovated it. Many help our hospice program in the health care unit and at-home services, are caretakers for their flower garden and the flowers and gardens in local housing facilities, write a newsletter to keep others posted, plan and work at fund-raising functions, and greet visitors at our local hospital. We have several helpers who assist teachers in our county schools, and with the budget cuts in our school systems we’re told that we’ll be getting more requests of assistance there as well, and the list goes on and on. We have many programs that are still a dream, and the list of possibilities continues to grow. We hope to be able to continue our services in Rock County indefinitely. Volunteering is a wonderful thing and serves a dual purpose. The giver receives as much or more than he gives usually. It gives them a reason to get out of bed in the morning and allows them to go to bed at night knowing that they’ve made a difference that day. The receiver can continue to exist because of the service of our many capable senior volunteers. Thanks to our willing RSVP volunteers for all of your kind acts of goodness. It is a worthy and priceless program!We are hoping to expand our existing program in the outer areas of Rock County where we have not been as visible. We know we have many eligible volunteers there who are not familiar with our program. If we can connect, it would make our program more efficient and would help our volunteers know where the needs are. Greta Van Der Brink,RSVP Rock County507-283-5064
