Retire-To Volunteering

061 Ed VanVorhees—The Bootstraps Foundation

The Bootstraps Foundation—Providing a Hand Up

"Pull yourself up by your bootstraps" is a part of the American ethos. The culture celebrates people who have become great successes, overcoming major obstacles through their own heroic efforts. Such a man was Bootstraps founder, Ray Danner, a successful restaurant-chain developer and owner, who came out of hardship, began working at age 10, and as a young man purchased his first business for $600. Many businesses and many dollars (both earned and given away philanthropically) later, he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Society. Today, long after Danner's death, his money, along with other contributions, supports the Bootstraps Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

The 19th century author, Horatio Alger, wrote more than 100 novels based on the real-life experiences of the children and youth living on the streets in abject poverty in the mid to late 1800's. The inspirational and influential stories focused on developing character and surmounting life's obstacles to be ready for opportunities for change. He recognized that a timely "hand up" is also a factor in success.

The Bootstraps Foundation searches out high school students who have overcome significant adversity and developed great character and then gives them the "hand up," awarding them $5,000 for each of four years of college. That money in turn is matched by a local university (Belmont) to make higher education possible for these who have already prevailed over so much because of their own bootstrap efforts.

A major reason the Foundation can maximize their mission is volunteers. Board members, including graduated Bootstrap alums, leverage services to keep the organization functioning, including fundraising, printing, copying, mailing, and other necessary tasks. Ed VanVoorhees donates his time and skill to the administrative oversight. Volunteers, lending a hand, make possible the hand up needed to make a difference for deserving young people and those they will touch because of both their own character and this opportunity to gain further education.

For more about this or to donate, visit bootstraps.org.

060 Barbara Bruce—Humane Society

Providing Second Chances for Animals and Other Cast-offs

The dog was horribly unlucky—a hit-and-run driver sped away leaving him with a crushed leg! The dog was also wonderfully lucky—the life-threatening collision occurred in sight of an employee at the Second Chance Store. He scooped up the injured animal, took him to the vet (his leg had to be amputated), and then brought him back to the store, his new home. Named Tap-Tap, the lucky dog is now the store's mascot and loved by volunteers and customers alike.

Barbara Bruce, a snowbird from New York State, volunteers several months a year at the Second Chance Store in Amelia Island, Florida. Proceeds from the donated items sold at the retail store go directly to support the Nassau County Humane Society in its mission—"dedicated to the humane treatment of all animals, to alleviate their suffering and neglect, to support the human-animal bond, and to foster an environment in which people respect all living creatures!"

Supporting the animal shelter began with volunteers putting on yard sales (aptly renamed, "Flea and Tick Sales"), which proved so popular and effective that the Humane Society was eventually able to acquire a permanent sales venue. With the new store has come greater recognition of the purpose of the organization and more customers making purchases in support of its work. And, yes, lots of them come to see Tap-Tap!

Barbara, an animal lover who also has had retail experience, has chosen to volunteer in the store. But she points out that other people find their volunteer joy working directly with the animals in many different capacities, including socializing puppies and kittens, walking and grooming dogs, handling paperwork for adoptions, and even making sure the kennels are clean.

She also reminds us that animals in shelters all over the United States need loving care and that volunteering on their behalf can take many different forms and skills, all within a flexible time commitment. So, if you feel a tap-tap on your shoulder, it might just be a special critter, a special place inviting you to volunteer.

Simply type "humane society near me" into your browser or visit nassauhumane.org for more information.

059 Linda Stalters—Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA)

Changing Perceptions—Key to Hope, Treatment, and Opportunity

"We can't be everywhere, yet people with the diagnosis are everywhere!" Nearly nine million Americans suffer from schizophrenia and other illnesses involving psychoses. Schizophrenia and Related Disorders Alliance of America (SARDAA) is the "we" working to make a difference in the lives of those diagnosed and their families.

Linda Stalters, a retired Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Psychotherapist, began the organization in 2008. SARDAA promotes hope, treatment, and recovery through support programs, education, collaboration, and advocacy. Their vision is that every person living with a schizophrenia or related brain disorder receives respect, appropriate treatment, and an opportunity to live a meaningful and satisfying life in a compassionate community free of discrimination.

A key to bringing about that vision is changing perceptions on several levels:

• Helping policy makers understand the condition as a brain disease rather than as a mental illness. The distinction has a huge impact on accessibility to treatment, which can enable persons with the disease to have productive life.
• Helping society overcome fear and move toward seeing persons with the disease as people who deserve treatment and respect rather than punishment. Currently, many affected live in prisons or on the streets, which is a significant cost to society.
• Helping family members know how to better relate to the one with the disease and how to advocate for their loved one.
• Helping those who suffer from the disease understand and value themselves and be supported.

Volunteers assist in reaching these goals. They do so as speakers and educators, as videographers and artists, as advocates to state and national policy-making bodies, as organizers of new groups and as mentors to the leaders of support groups (which are led by persons who have the disease and who are themselves volunteers). Volunteers are also needed for simply saying "thank you" through notes or phone calls to supporters of the organization's work. In turn, the organization's small staff support the volunteers with training, materials, and a voice in this important work.

Linda says, "Whenever I think I might quit or when people ask, 'When are you going to retire for real?', I remember that people who live with the disease can't ever retire. I hear thanks for what we do. Those affected say, 'I am so grateful for this organization because it saved my life!'—and I can't quit!" For more information, visit sardaa.org or hearingvoicesofsupport.com.

058 Liz Martin—General Federation of Women's Clubs

Changing the Power of One to Power to the Nth Degree

Liz Martin believes in the power of people—especially women—joining together to make a difference in their community. But she's also discovered how one person, using her specific skills, can make that power even greater.

When Liz joined the Brentwood/Franklin Woman's Service Club she found much more than she expected. As a part of the international General Federation of Women's Clubs (GFWC), her local club is one of the nearly 3,000 (combined membership of 80,000) working independently and together on significant issues, including supporting the arts, preserving natural resources, advancing education, promoting healthy lifestyles, encouraging civic involvement, and working toward world peace and understanding.

The mission and history of GFWC attracted her to the club. She has stayed for more than a decade because of the benefits: She has met great people she might not have otherwise, expanded her knowledge of her community and of important national and international issues, and participated in specific projects locally and beyond.

As club members got to know Liz, she was asked to be the treasurer. No problem! She definitely had the skills. Liz's career was as a financial planner. Taking on the job was a way for this one person to give back. But she quickly discovered a new challenge: bringing their financial systems into the 21st century in terms of bookkeeping, computerization, and taking advantage of investment opportunities that would grow the organization's dollars and consequently its potential for more good. Actually, that was the easy part, according to Liz. The bigger challenge was to change the thinking of the group from "we don't want to lose any money" to "we can safely grow the money." Fortunately, Liz's years of helping individuals and families make that same transition to success have paid off, enabling the club members to greatly increase their impact on projects and issues they are passionate about.

One person—investing heart, time, energy, and skill—joining with others of like mind and commitment changes the power of one to power to the nth degree!

For more about the General Federation of Women's Clubs, visit gfwc.org. To learn more about the Brentwood/Franklin Woman's Service Club, go to bwctn.net.

057 Fern Albertson—The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum—Feeding Body and Soul

Do you have an interest in plants, gardening, bees, butterflies, children, sharing your knowledge, working with like-minded people, having a meaningful and rewarding volunteer opportunity? Check any of the above, and this interview is for you! Fern Albertson volunteers with The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, where she has found all of those interests fulfilled and her soul fed.

Have you eaten a Honey Crisp apple lately? Or perhaps you've tried the new First Kiss apple. Both of these, along with 28 others, were developed through the research at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. The history of today's 1200-acre premier facility had its beginnings in the 1800's with government assistance and insistence to develop apples hearty enough to grow despite the Minnesota winters. The push was to attract settlers to the area by providing a viable economic opportunity. Today's Arboretum now attracts 500,000 visitors each year! Thirty-five thousand of those come specifically to the Learning Center, where Fern volunteers.

As a volunteer, she works most often with school children and children coming in the summer through the Y or Parks and Recreation day camps. Working with a curriculum that also meets state education standards, Fern, along with other volunteers has been teaching the children about bees and butterflies, as they observe the resident pollinators at work in the gardens of the Arboretum. She also takes children "shopping" at the Green Grocer. If their grocery list includes sugar or chocolate, for example, the young shoppers have to find the plant sources (sugar cane and cocoa plant) growing there. The lists are varied, but the lesson is pointed: Our food comes largely from plants! The Arboretum's educational programs change regularly, inviting return visits and keeping the volunteers engaged as they too continue to learn.

Fern is one of 900 volunteers the Arboretum relies on. Some, like Fern, lead programs or give tours; others help maintain the gardens or drive the trams. Several assist the researchers—like the ones who developed Honey Crisp and gave us our First Kiss!

Arboretums and botanical gardens are scattered all across the nation. Click Here for a list of facilities around the country. You might find a garden or arboretum in your local area where you can check volunteer opportunities.

Website: arboretum.umn.edu

Facebook: facebook.com/MnArboretum

056 Marci McAdams—Special Olympics

Special Olympics—Smiles for Everyone

"I get to see their smiling faces—that's my reward!" Marci McAdams enthusiastically declares with a big smile on her own face. One of her volunteer jobs for Special Olympics in Florida is to hand out the rewards to the participants. Those smiles keep her coming back and taking on more as a volunteer. She handles much of the administrative work that keeps the program running smoothly; and she also trains new coaches, who are also volunteers. When she runs a training session, she invites at least one of the special athletes to help her by showing the potential coaches the possibilities.

Special Olympics is so much more than "a competition here and there." In the early 1960s Eunice Kennedy Shriver, moved by the lack of inclusion of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) in even basic opportunities for play, set up a summer camp in her own backyard to give them a chance to participate in physical activities, including sports. She set out to change society's view of persons with ID. Now more than five million special athletes from ages eight through older adults in 172 countries participate year-round in Special Olympics trainings and events in county, state, area, and international levels in more than 30 different sports. Children, age two to seven, can begin developing skills through Special Olympics Young Athletes program.

Athletes benefit from the training and competitions as they develop physical fitness, skills, and friendships. They gain courage and self-confidence and experience joy. Society benefits from focusing on the abilities rather than the disabilities of persons with ID and discovering their gifts. Promoting understanding and social inclusion, Special Olympics is making a change for the better for everyone.

Volunteers make it all possible. Handing out awards, doing administrative tasks, training new volunteers, including coaches—all of which Marci does—are just a few of the opportunities available to volunteers. Encouraging athletes, setting up and tearing down for events, coaching for the various sports, recruiting other volunteers, and photographing events are a few more of the possibilities. Check the website for your state to find a specific place where your interests intersect with the needs: specialolympics.org.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/specialolympicsflorida/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/2168730/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/soflinfo

055 Barbara Winkler—Quilts of Valor

Touched by War, Receiving Comfort and Healing

Barbara Winkler is not alone in her desire to honor, thank, and comfort men and women who have experienced the horrors of war on behalf of our nation. Nationwide, in 47 states and the District of Columbia, are multiple small chapters of quilters creating beautiful and practical Quilts of Valor and presenting them to veterans and active service members. In Barbara's chapter alone, the group has made 4,375 since Barbara created her first quilt! Last year they made 651!

Many chapters gather and benefit from the social aspect of creating a quilt, as well as from the joy of finding a purpose they find meaningful and appreciated by the recipients and their families. However, most chapters also have members who work at home. In Barbara's Southern California chapter, the oldest member is 92, working at home and providing a one quilt-top each week for the other stitchers in the group to complete. Barbara's group also partners with teens in local high schools to make the quilts. The students earn service-learning credits, find mentors and friends among the skilled quilters, and experience pride in their skill and creativity, as well as humility in knowing the stories of the ones who will receive their quilts.

Volunteers do not need to know how to quilt. Quilting is a group effort. There is a specific task for everyone, including designing, cutting the fabric, hand sewing, machine stitching, washing, ironing, presenting, and more. Anyone can start wherever comfortable and learn more from the others—and have a good time doing so!

To see the variety of beautiful quilts Barbara's group has made and given, go to socalqov.org. To find a Quilts of Valor chapter near you, visit www.qovf.org. That site will also guide you in creating a new chapter, if need be.

URL: www.socalQOV.org

Facebook: So-Cal-Quilts-of-Valor

054 Daisy Jabas—Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance—Providing Hope and How-To

Daisy Jabas, Registered Nurse, Certified Peer Recovery Specialist, and State Director for Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance of Tennessee, surprises people—not with her credentials but with a statistic: Mental illness is more prevalent than cancer, lung disease, and heart disease combined!

Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance provides through their support groups a safe environment for individuals and for their families to share their stories and learn skills from the lived experience of others, as well as from medical professionals. Those who suffer discover they are not alone, there is hope, and life can and will get better.

Daisy also surprises people when she tells audiences that all of the people working in this Tennessee division of the Alliance are volunteers, including Daisy. The range of opportunities is wide, from helping get literature out about the program, speaking to groups, serving at events, calling back inquirers, transporting persons to support groups, working in the office, maintaining the website, to facilitating the support groups. Volunteers can choose short-term or long-term service options to fit their own interests, knowing that all contribute to greater well-being for those who suffer.

For more information visit www.dbsa-tn.org

Email: [email protected]

68 Hours of Hunger—What Too Many School Children Face Each Weekend

Ending childhood hunger in America one school at a time

What kind of person would you be if week after week you were without adequate food for 68 hours? Executive director and founder of the non-profit End 68 Hours of Hunger, Claire Bloom tells us how you can join the fight to end the hunger too many school children face for the 68 hours between the free lunch on Friday and breakfast on Monday at school. Students are provided with 3 dinners, 2 breakfasts, and 2 lunches each weekend. Listen to how her 1700 volunteers in 42 local chapters all over the United States help 3000 students every week.

With nearly 16 million food-insecure children in America today, the unmet need is still huge. Imagine how well you would perform on Monday if youve not had anything to eat since Friday lunch! With this program in place, teachers report students come to school ready to learn and the disruptive behaviors of Friday due to food insecurity vanish. This program makes a difference in the potential success of each child fed.

You can be a part of this exciting program by joining a chapter in its mission or starting one of your own. Claires national office provides complete training so you and your friends can reach out to help students near you. Others have done this 41 times! The smallest chapter feed 3 students each week; the largest feeds 300.

http://www.end68hoursofhunger.org

052 Crys Zinkiewicz–Hershey, Here! at Saddle Up!

From Rider to Writer—With a Little "Help"

Passionate about horses, Crys Zinkiewicz found a great place to volunteer and then she discovered Hershey! Hershey is a go-to horse at Saddle Up!, a therapeutic riding center for children with disabilities. Known for his versatility and willingness, Hershey is also famous for his funny "smile" after a peppermint treat. Now he's even more famous as an ambassador for Saddle Up!, thanks to Crys.

The two of them are Pony Pals, but they've also "collaborated" to write a book about Saddle Up! Hershey tells his perspective on his life at Saddle Up! and its various programs. Crys comes along to "fill in the details." The proceeds from the resulting 148-page book go to support the organization, but even more importantly the book and Crys's speaking opportunities raise awareness of the "magic" of horses in programs across the country like Saddle Up!

With a background as an editor in a publishing company, Crys volunteered her professional skills to meet the challenge. She also pulled together a team of people (designer, photographers, marketers, web designer, business manager, and even musicians) who donated their time, talent, and professional experience to create the book.

For more about Saddle Up! go to saddleupnashville.org. Be sure to watch the video on the home page. You'll meet Hershey and Crys, and you'll learn more about this amazing organization.

Find other episodes in this series at retiretovolunteering.com.

Support this series at patreon.com/volunteering.