TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Highlands Today

Knitting The Community Together

Kathy Waters/Highlands Today

Retired and Senior Volunteer Program volunteer Shirley Berger, right, helps Magda Figueroa with the pronunciation of "teacher" during tutoring on Monday at South Florida Community College. TOP: Isabelle Hall is a volunteer through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. She likes to knit sweaters for infants in orphanages.

ADVERTISEMENT

By MANDY SHEETS | Highlands Today

Published: January 8, 2008

AVON PARK — If you want to spend your free time making a difference in Highlands County, South Florida Community College may have the perfect opportunity for you.

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Highlands County, a non-profit organization sponsored by SFCC, pairs volunteers age 55 and older with groups that need their service.

"We want to be the lead resource in the community for volunteers looking for a way to share their skills," said Kris Schmidt, coordinator of RSVP at SFCC. "We provide free volunteer placement, provide recognition and training and even supply supplemental insurance to cover volunteers."

RSVP, a federal program through grants, has volunteer stations throughout the county that need assistance, ranging from shelving books at public libraries to rebuilding houses.

"If you have a skill, we can hook you up with an agency that can use you," Schmidt said. "Everyone has something they can do to help the community."

Shirley Berger uses her experience from her career as a speech and language pathologist to tutor English as a Second Language students at SFCC.
"The beautiful thing is that I can take what I know about language and sound production to help people learn to speak English," Berger said. "I'm getting exposure to all different cultures and getting to meet so many wonderful people."

Isabelle Hall carries knitting needles with her just about everywhere she goes, making sweaters for missionaries at her church to take to children.

"It gives me a purpose in life," Hall said about volunteering. "Even though I am an old woman, it makes me feel like I am still needed."

Mary Barrett teaches craft classes to fellow senior citizens and specializes in creating bows.

"I get pleasure from teaching people new skills," Barrett said.

Schmidt said volunteering even has health benefits.

"People who volunteer have fewer diseases and are less likely to have depression," Schmidt said. "Volunteering also provides a social aspect, and it feels good to know you are making a difference in the community."

Robert Jones, who teaches exercises and stretches at Groves at Victoria Park, believes volunteering has improved his health.

"This gives me something useful to do and a way to help, and I believe it will prolong my life too," Jones said.

During 2006, RSVP volunteers logged more than 55,000 hours of service in Highlands County. In November, the county's 271 volunteers recorded 5,200 hours.

Ginny Pilato, meal site manager for NU-HOPE, said the RSVP volunteers who assist her are invaluable.

"They wrap silverware, make centerpieces and clean up the tables," Pilato said. "If we didn't have those volunteers, those would all be things I would have to try to find time to do. Having the volunteers helps free up my time to do other things for our clients."

Schmidt said many volunteer opportunities currently exist, and she meets with new volunteers to best determine where they should be placed.

RSVP has no minimum number of service hours, but Schmidt recommends volunteers are available at least two hours per month. Volunteer opportunities are even available for senior citizens who are homebound.

For more information about RSVP or to start volunteering, call 784-7189.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT