What has 3,754 hands, 1,877 hearts and helps countless numbers of San Diego County residents?
It’s the County’s army of nearly 2,000 older adults that give back to the community through service in the RSVP, or Retired & Senior Volunteer Program. Top volunteers were recognized at the 18th annual RSVP Recognition Event held Thursday.
“Our RSVP engages persons age 55 and older in volunteer service to meet critical community needs,” said Chairman Greg Cox, San Diego County Board of Supervisors. “Volunteers use their skills, experience and wisdom developed throughout their life in performing their volunteer service.
“They don’t have to do any of this,” he said. “They could just enjoy their golden years in retirement, but they have decided to donate their precious time and energy to make this a better community.”
RSVP volunteers gave nearly 530,000 hours at 128 local organizations in 2012. That is equivalent to $13 million in services, according to the organization. Each of the 400-plus individuals honored at the event put in between 50 to 2,400 hours last year.
The program is funded by the Corporation for National and Community Services, and the County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency Aging & Independence Services.
“There are so many stories about the things RSVP volunteers have done,” said Linda Hopkins, San Diego County RSVP manager. “The impact of these individuals is amazing.”
Hopkins said people are motivated to participate in the program by a desire to give back and make an impact in their community. Another reason is the positive impact volunteering has on an older adult’s health.
“It’s not just the social aspect, but that’s important too,” she said. “They start to refer to the team they volunteer with as their ‘RSVP family.’
“We love to see that!”
RSVP members volunteer with local law enforcement agencies and at hospitals, senior centers, the USS Midway and other museums, veterans and older adult organizations and Meals on Wheels, to name a few.
The top 25 volunteers received special recognition at the event. Dennis Tucker and Richard Rogers from the San Marcos Senior Center were honored as the Volunteers of the Year for their work with the Intergenerational Community Garden in San Marcos.
RSVP Volunteers: Hidden in Plain Sight
“The garden is a real creative place,” said Rogers. “We help other seniors work in the garden and it helps them maintain their independent living and gets them exercise, fresh air and a dose of sunshine.”
Tucker enjoys the variety of people he encounters working in the garden.
“It’s neat we have so many different people there from so many different cultures each growing different things,” he said. “We even have one 88-year-old lady that walks down to the garden from her home carrying all her tools.”
Jim Schulte, who volunteers with the San Diego Police Department’s Northeast Substation in Rancho Penasquitos, was recognized with the Public Safety Award.
“I think it’s just being out there and seeing the positive side to the things we can do as volunteers,” he said. “I enjoy being able to be a part of our community and to assist the police department.”
Laurie Switzer from the USS Midway Museum was honored with the Ambassador Award and Elmcroft Senior Living was also recognized.
For more information on the program, visit Aging and Independence Services Volunteers page or call 1-858-505-6399.
