Those who can, do.  Those who can do more, volunteer.  (Author Unknown)

It seems to me that a valuable measure of any non-profit organization is the capacity for its members to give and to take. So it should come as no surprise that many SF Village Members are committed to dedicating their time to mentor, manage or motivate in the service of others. This month, the spotlight is on several Village members who actively participate as volunteers:

Let’s start with Larry and Elinore (Ellie) Lurie, both of whom have a long history of donating their time to non-profit organizations. Twenty years ago, Ellie was asked to serve on the Board of San Francisco Suicide Prevention. Today, she’s still going strong as Board President of the Community Living Campaign, an organization that forms support networks for people who have become isolated (mostly seniors). Ellie, who has also been appointed to the Advisory Committee for the Commission on Aging, admits that she can feel a little overextended at times, but she has met some wonderful people as a volunteer, and has encountered a broader range of community participants than one might know socially.

She and Larry currently volunteer time with the SF Village because they share an interest in transitions from hospital to home. This is often a very vulnerable time for retirees who may not have made the necessary arrangements, e.g. no one to get them upstairs, make sure they have food, are taking medicines on time, etc. The absence of needed help can severely impact older people's health and well-being and lead to re-hospitalizations that could have been prevented. Discharge planning was Ellie’s professional area as a gerontologist and her skills have great value within the SF Village Community.

Larry Lurie, a retired clinical professor in the department of Psychiatry at UCSF with a specialty in geriatrics, laughingly admits that friends told him not to volunteer for at least a year after retirement. He waited for four years, and now appears to me making up for lost time. In addition to chairing the Board of Directors at the San Francisco Senior Center, Larry also consults at The Presentation Adult Health Center in the Tenderloin. And after not seeing patients for 7 years, he recently began volunteering to meet with, and counsel young psychiatry residents who are interviewing new patients.

“Most of my volunteer work has to do with my own aging or my enjoying what I’ve already done,” says Larry. “The non-volunteer part of my life has to do with sculpture and ceramics and art.“

Ray Wright has been volunteering at the Exploratorium for 11 years (!) and if you imagine retirees as relegated to ticketing and visitor information, think again. Ray analyzes large data sets (attendance, revenue, visitor research and volunteer involvement) to find patterns and trends that will help the museum better serve its audiences He contributes a remarkable 30 hours per week and can do much of his work from home, which allows him to enjoy other interests including classes at UCSF’s Fromm Institute, studying music scores and teaching himself Attic Greek.

Ray admits that he gets great satisfaction as a volunteer - in seeing an improvement at the Exploratorium and recognizing a role he might have played, however small, learning new skills in computer programming, and most of all, walking among Exploratorium exhibits to see the looks of wonder, excitement and curiosity among adults as well as children.

Village member Sarah Goldman serves as a greeter at the Conservatory of Flowers for two three-hour shifts per month. “The Conservatory is such a beautiful environment in which to spend time,“says Sarah, who enjoys the opportunity to meet and interact with people of all ages, from all over the word. “All the visitors come in with anticipation and invariably leave with good feelings.“

And speaking of good feelings, Sarah’s other commitment is to the practice of yoga and the community she enjoys at The Mindful Body, a yoga studio on California St near her apartment. After shifting from full-time to part-time work in 2001, Sarah volunteered to work at the studio one morning a week in exchange for classes, and later shifted to two mornings a week, the second one for pay.” I am fortunate to have this anchor of people, responsibility and routine in my life,” says Sarah.

If you have thoughts about volunteering that you’d like to share, or want to recommend an organization that needs part-time volunteers, please pass your ideas along to Gayle Uchida. gayleu@sfvillage.org

“You make a living by what you earn; you make a life by what you give.” – Winston Churchill

Why do we volunteer?

People say that helping others is the main reason they volunteer – giving back, making a difference, promoting changes, serving others. I asked one of my close friends why she volunteers and she said, “Volunteering grounds me in what is important in life. It gets me out of my own head and allows me to see the wider world with a more compassionate lens.”

Think back to all the times you have given of yourself, and you will see that your life is filled with both small and large moments of volunteerism. Many of us have chosen to be with our parents in their final months, days, and moments. Remember when you helped a friend or neighbor when they were ill or coming home from the hospital. Dog sitting, grocery shopping, preparing a meal, listening to someone who was feeling sad or making a tough decision – you probably don’t think of these as volunteering, but they are.

Many of our Village members volunteer, in a myriad of ways, both with the Village and in other endeavors. In fact, our Village is based on the generosity and good will of all of you. Just by joining you are ensuring that we have a viable alternative for aging.

A number of you have volunteered to hold chats so that we can spread the word about SFV; others have invited people to these chats. Our members volunteer computer assistance, help establish a transition-to-home process for our members, create member get-togethers from hikes in the redwoods to our holiday party; others write for this newsletter, lead groups at SFMOMA, and so much more.

We encourage all our members to share their life experiences and talents with other Villagers. This is truly the heart and soul of the Village and we welcome your help.

San Francisco Village depends on volunteers of all ages who want to be hands-on, creative problem solvers in building a better community. Central to volunteerism at the Village are older adults themselves who do not want to be “taken care of” in old age, but rather, want to create their own solutions. And what makes the village engaging and relevant is an intergenerational community of volunteers comprised of professionals who offer pro bono services, young adults who want intergenerational experiences and anyone else looking for a meaningful connection to their local community. Across the lifespan, it feels good to contribute.

SF Village’s value for interdependence among community members enables the independence of its members. We customize volunteer opportunities to ensure a rewarding experience, with flexible schedules and time commitments to meet individual interests and needs.

We are currently looking for volunteers to support the following services, and always open to new ideas:

• Driving
• Walking Groups
• Shopping Trips
• Appointment Visits
• Computer Assistance
• Meal Preparation or Delivery
• Social & Cultural & Fundraising Events
• Mail pick-up, watering plants, dog walking
• and more …

Contact us if you’re interested in any of the above opportunities or if you have a different skill or talent to share – let’s explore together at (415) 387-1375 or info@sfvillage.org.

Reminder:

The Village’s NOVEMBER program is coming up shortly so call the office and mark this on your calendar.

Sunday, November 21st at St. Cecilia’s church --- 2555 17th Avenue at Vicente starting at 3:00PM.

San Francisco City Chorus, including our Board member Susan Poor and Village member Alice Rosenthal, will be performing Mozart’s and Rossini’s works. If you attended our 1st birthday celebration you will remember their performance and rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to the Village.

Call the San Francisco Village office, 415-387-1375 to RSVP. More than 10 tickets is a group with the price reduced from $12 person for Seniors to $10 per Senior at the group rate. Tickets at the door are $15.

Savings can be had by having a group of Villagers attend. The office will be happy to coordinate that and take your RSVP.

Recap of our Members’ Meeting on 10/13

At least 40 members of the Village gathered on the afternoon of the 13th to view the results of their fellow members’ creativity. There were snacks, drinks and lively conversation. Our Board President, Gayle Geary, gave a state of the state update about our Village. This was followed by a presentation from our special guest, Dr. Patrick Arbore of The Friendship Line from the Institute on Aging.

It is the program that enables the Village to have 24X7 phone coverage when the Village office is not open. They have trained staff that typically responds to all calls from seniors across the country.

See this website for more information about this service from our partners at IOA. The Friendship Line

We closed out the meeting with a special thank you presentation to Board member, Eva Auchincloss, and Carolyn Pon for their great work on the newsletter for more than a year. Glady Thacher composed and read her amazing poem about Eva’s contributions that was well received.