By Sara Strong
In just a year at the post, Vonnie Nergaard has learned a lot about coordinating the local Retired Senior Volunteer Program.
She and regional supervisor Mary McLaughlin presented the Rock County Board of Commissioners with a program update at the last board meeting.
The county gives RSVP 96¢ per capita to help fund the local coordinator position.
Rock County Board of Commissioners Chair Jane Wildung said, "ItÕs more than worth the county's money to help fund volunteer programs."
Rock County has 34 sites, or organizations, that use RSVP services and has about 200 active volunteers at any given time.
Rock County RSVP members have contributed 32,000 hours of volunteer service in 2001.
Nergaard said, "A lot of people can't get out, but they still do it."
Some of the less physically active volunteers contribute by completing needlepoint projects, for example, and donating them to organizations for fund-raisers.
Regional RSVP Executive Director Mary McLaughlin said, "Volunteers are really important. And when you look at the statistics in Minnesota, only 1 to 2 percent of the potential volunteers are volunteering."
Minnesota has a volunteerism rate higher than the national statistics, McLaughlin said.
"One thing the volunteers say is that they get out of it just as much as whoever they're volunteering for," McLaughlin said.
Recently, RSVP volunteers helped Relay For Life prepare luminary bags by folding them for people to purchase and decorate.
Nergaard said new volunteers are always welcome to the program. "We accept them from 55 and older, and we'd like them to start earlier so they're with us longer."
The average age of Rock County RSVP volunteers is probably in the 70s, Nergaard estimated.
Getting those in early-retirement to volunteer is more difficult. People who are retired from their careers often have part-time jobs, family commitments or interest in things like travel that keep them from RSVP.
Nergaard and McLaughlin said the group of volunteers Rock County has is keeping busy and can always use new members.
As a side note, McLaughlin looks forward to increased federal funding due to the strong support of volunteer programs by President Bush. He is especially interested in senior volunteers.
RSVP will be part of a national move to generate more volunteer activity. The Get Involved campaign will be seen on local billboards and brochures and includes plugs for RSVP and other similar organizations.