Retire-to Volunteering

100 Jan Lockard—Tennessee Respite Coalition That’s What Friends Are For—Tennessee Respite Coalition What’s a friend? Someone with whom you can laugh, someone who helps you with little things and big things, someone who makes you feel special—that’s a friend! Jan Lockard is good at being that friend to two ladies, who happen to be in a nursing home. That’s her volunteer service as a Senior Companion with the Tennessee Respite Coalition. Jan has two “special ladies” she stays with for eight hours twice a week. They look forward to their day because time with Jan is fun—something that is too often lacking for ladies in their 90’s in nursing homes. Jan is intentional about the “little things,” like playing Bingo or other games, taking her ladies to the onsite dining area to be with others instead of having meals delivered and eaten alone in the room, and setting up a personalized playlists of favorite music. She also listens to their stories of the good old days—something that busy staff aren’t usually able to do

099 Tom Starling—Mental Health America Before Stage 4—Mental Health America “Before Stage 4!” Tom Starling, the chief executive of Mental Health America (MHA) of Middle Tennessee, explains his organization’s mantra: “People with something wrong with their body wouldn’t knowingly wait until the disease reached Stage 4 before seeking treatment. But when something is wrong mentally or emotionally, they suffer in silence.” Why? Because of the stigma that society attaches to mental illness. MHA is not a direct-client service provider for persons with mental illness. Rather, their role is to crack open the hard shell of the stigma so that more people can move from suffering to recovery. A big crack starts with the awareness of just how many people are affected by the diseases labeled “mental illness”: 1 in 5 annually! Some of those people might come to mind quickly, perhaps ones with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder, but many more are “under the radar.” Mental illness spans the spectrum from “womb to tomb,” includ

098 Mariah Ragland—The Nashville Food Project Grow, Cook, Share—The Nashville Food Project Think about times you have been hungry. Have you ever missed multiple meals? Have you not known where your next meal was coming from? One in every seven people in Nashville experiences food insecurity every day. Nearly 1,000 volunteers every month have looked back on their own experiences of hunger—however brief or long—and decided that they don’t want their neighbors to go without. They put their love of food and their love of people to work at The Nashville Food Project (NFP). The Food Project serves 200,000 fresh-cooked, nutritious meals each year! With only 22 staff members, they can do what they do only because of the volunteers who grow, cook, and share the food. Grow. Scattered around Nashville are five small—but very productive—organic gardens. Volunteers help with preparing the beds, planting, weeding, harvesting the food, and even composting. Although the largest garden is only 1.5 acres, these gardens produce

097 Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi—Interfaith Dental Clinic Restoring Smiles—Interfaith Dental Clinic Two dentists, members of West End United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, had a calling to use their professional skills to help the poor. They traveled to impoverished countries on mission trips to serve, but when they came home, they also saw the effects of poverty right around them. They came up with a proposal, took it to their church where they found a supportive community, and shortly, the Interfaith Dental Clinic opened. What began twenty-five years ago with two dental chairs and some volunteers working part-time in the church’s basement has grown to two fully equipped, 18-chair offices—one in Nashville, another 45 minutes away in Murfreesboro—and many more volunteers plus a few full-time staff, serving annually 2,800 people who have no other options. Dr. Rhonda Switzer-Nadasdi, a dentist herself and also the chief executive of the Interfaith Dental Clinic, points out that neither Medicaid nor Med

096 Jennifer AbernathyTennessee Respite Coalition A Win-Win-Win OpportunityTennessee Respite Coalition If you've ever flown, you've likely heard the airlines instruction that, in the case of an emergency and the oxygen mask drops, you are to put yours on before assisting someone else. For people whose natural inclination is to help others, the directive seems harsh, but its a lifesaver because unless you take care of yourself, you will soon run out of oxygen, which is crucial for you to function. Without it, you will not be able to help someone else in need. That truth motivated the formation of the Tennessee Respite Coalition in the 1990s. The organization gives the gift of time for caregivers to take care of themselves, providing a bit of relief from the extraordinary and intensive demands of providing ongoing care. The services are for caregivers of patients anywhere on the whole life span and include a statewide helpline, vouchers to reimburse some of the costs of caregiving, and the Senior Companionship

095 Johnny Rose—Hummingbirds at the Park Caring for Something Bigger—Hummingbirds at the Park Johnny Rose has always loved nature. After moving to Nashville, he discovered the 3,100+ acres of the Warner Parks and spent many wonderful hours there walking with his dog or with friends. When he retired, he decided he would like to be part of something bigger than himself. Nature was the logical answer for him: “The parks have always given to me; I wanted to give back to them.” From the first day of volunteering there, he knew he had found the right place. As a volunteer, Johnny has done a variety of tasks, but his passion is with the hummingbirds. Knowing that the little ones need to consume half of their body weight each day in order to survive, Johnny is diligent in his care of the 25 feeders around the Warner Parks Nature Center. They have to be cleaned and refilled twice a week. Johnny also enjoys talking with the many visitors to the park about the hummingbirds. But his real delight is the August–September h

094 Faye Maynard—Project Connect Nashville Not to Fix, But to Love —Project Connect Nashville Founded in 2013, Project Connect Nashville (PCN) exists “to help disconnected and vulnerable men, women, and their families build relationships with others who will encourage and guide them, providing assistance when needed, educating and equipping them for the challenges each day brings, and celebrating every victory along the way.” In other words, to be with vulnerable people as friends, helping them GOSO (Get Out Stay Out) of poverty—not through fixing them, but by loving them. It was a friend who first connected Faye Maynard to the people in the program. She saw how the organization was assisting people in poverty—people who wanted to change their lives. She saw also that, in addition to a well-thought out curriculum for transformation, Project Connect has a heart for the poor, coming from their ultimate mentor—Jesus Christ. She volunteered first to bring a few meals, but her own commitment grew as she also saw t

093 Cathy Shull—Salvation Army Fighting for Those in Need—The Salvation Army Ask anyone about the Salvation Army and they'll very likely respond, "Oh yes, they're the ones who have the bell-ringing Santas with the big Red Kettles and the Angel Trees. They've been around forever!" The respondents are right, of course. The Salvation Army began in 1865 and has collected money Christmas after Christmas for people in need, including children and seniors who benefit from being chosen from the Angel Trees. But that's not all the Salvation Army does, Cathy Shull points out. A 30+ year volunteer, she has seen the ins and outs of the organization. Both as a member of the Women's Auxiliary and also as an Advisory Board member, she has rung the bell, recruited other bell ringers, worked the onsite Thrift Shop, filled backpacks and Christmas stockings, helped with meals, raised money for the renovation of a facility, and been part of the oversight and decision making that keeps the Salvation Army on record as a charity wi

092 Paul Fowler—Friends of Warner Parks One-and-Done or Falling in Love—Friends of Warner Parks As urbanization grows, so does the longing for the counterbalance that being in nature supplies. Annually, nearly 1.5 million people in the Nashville area take advantage of their convenient access to 3,200 uncrowded acres in the Warner Parks to feed their soul. Percy Warner, Edwin Warner, and the neighboring new Birch Reserve invite people to immerse themselves in restorative "play"—alone or with friends and family—through 17 miles of hiking trails, easy access (closed to vehicle traffic) roadways for walking or biking, six miles of the Little Harpeth River, many horse trails, two golf courses, picnic pavilions, playgrounds, and much more. Additionally, staff and volunteers present educational programming year round, including wildflower walks, geology talks, natural gardening, hummingbird close-ups and banding, plus docent service at the parks' Nature Center. Combining all that with various festivals, runs, fundra

091 Kathy Jackson—Greyhound Pets of America Rescuing Greyhounds From Misconceptions—Greyhound Pets of America As a U.S. mail carrier, Kathy Jackson also carried treats for the dogs on her routes. One of her very special "friends" was a former racing greyhound. When Kathy retired, she knew exactly what type of dog she wanted. She adopted Manny, a newly retired racer who won her heart. Kathy doesn't use the word "rescue" very often in her conversations about greyhound racing. Too many people have the misconception that the dogs are mistreated during their competitive phase, which is far from the reality. Nor are they euthanized when those racing days are over. Greyhound Pets of America (GPA) steps in to find responsible, loving homes for the retirees. People like Kathy and her husband. GPA sponsors weekly Meet 'n' Greets at local pet stores, inviting greyhound owners to come with their dogs to talk with interested people about the desirability of retired greyhounds as pets. Many people have another misconceptio

090 Sue Baumgartner—Senior Ride Nashville Still Going Strong—Thanks to Senior Ride Nashville Ninety-three years old and still going strong—thanks to volunteers at Senior Ride Nashville! Three days a week this lady goes to the Y for exercise, and once a week she goes to her own volunteer commitment at St. Thomas Hospital. She doesn't let her age hold her back from what is important to her, but without Sue Baumgartner and the other volunteers at Senior Ride she would be homebound. Losing opportunities to take care of herself physically, to have social contact, and to contribute to the well being of others would almost certainly send her into premature decline. Senior Ride Nashville's creators—the Council on Aging of Middle Tennessee and the Senior Transportation Leadership Coalition—recognized the hazards of no longer being able to drive and found a way to meet the need. Begun just in 2017, the program is growing as more people learn about it—both riders and volunteer drivers. As a volunteer, Sue is appreciativ

089 John Hisle—Jubilee Jobs Second Chance for a Better Life—Jubilee Jobs Nearly 40 years ago the Church of the Savior in Washington, D.C. stepped into the job market—not for themselves, but for others. A group of members realized their neighbors in a nearby low-income housing project were struggling to find work. So with the call to "love your neighbor" in their hearts, they began Jubilee Jobs, which has subsequently prepared and placed nearly 26,000 people in the workforce. Volunteers with the program begin helping applicants develop a resume´. Most have never done so, which is one of their barriers to employment. Most also come with other obstacles they must overcome, including past incarceration, addiction, or homelessness, as well as having barely any computer skills and very limited access to computers. Jubilee Jobs, however, is a wrap-around program, providing not only that first-step resume´ assistance, but also computer access and coaching on filling out online applications. What's more, applicants re

088 Pat Dishman—Full Moon Pickin’ Party The Full Moon Pickin’ Party—A Natural for Volunteers Like many people whose professional life keeps them behind a desk, Pat Dishman longed to be outside. Unlike many people in that circumstance, Pat did something! Ten years before she retired, she began volunteering on weekends with Friends of Warner Parks. Only nine miles from downtown Nashville, the fields and forests of Percy and Edwin Warner Parks provide a nature experience in their 3,100 acres to a million people annually. In support of this 91-year-old treasure in the city and working in partnership with the Metropolitan government, the Friends of Warner Parks organization coordinates volunteers, raises funds, carries out trail maintenance, preserves the historic aspects of the parks, and provides nearly 1,400 educational programs each year—plus six Full Moon Pickin' Parties! (After all, Nashville is Music City!) On the Friday nights closest to the full moon, May through October, musicians and music lovers come o

087 Nelson Santos—Volunteer Overseas for Free Spreading Love Through Action—Volunteer Overseas for Free You care about others, and you are adventuresome. Volunteering overseas appeals to you, but not at the price quoted in the fancy brochures! You and Nelson Santos are kindred spirits. Fortunately, he's blazed a trail for you. With his help, you can volunteer overseas—for free. Nelson has only had to spend plane fare for the last several years to volunteer in amazing places: Alaska, helping with a donation drive for hospice; Nepal, building schools; Mexico and Thailand, working in dog shelters; Myanmar, attending to the sick and dying in the care of a monastery; and Mexico, caring for children in a refuge for the underprivileged. He spends two weeks to two months in each assignment. The experiences have challenged him and, in his words, made him "a stronger man." They have also been deeply satisfying as he sees that his putting love into action has changed not only him but also those he has served. To find th

086 Amy Bond—Monroe Harding Foster Care Services Disrupting the Disruptions—Monroe Harding Foster Care Services Disrupted! Disruptive! Disruption. These three words are a concise description of the experiences of children who land in foster care. Something has torn apart their family. The trauma may come from within the family or from forces outside. The family is disrupted. In children, trauma frequently manifests itself in disruptive behavior. Losing their family and their sense of safety, security, and being loved shoves children into "survival mode," off balance and struggling desperately to regain their footing. Acting out is a frantic grasping for a steadying hand. Disruptive behavior is also an indicator of another change in the brain itself. Unchecked, those changes have generational consequences. Often the young people in foster care have parents whose lives have also been previously wounded by trauma. "Disrupted" and "disruptive" need disruption. Monroe Harding Foster Care Services steps up to inter

085 Don Schulze—Nations Ministry Center Citizenship Classes Citizenship Classes—No Trivial Matter! "I'm a lot of fun at parties," quips Don Schulze. "I know a bunch of 'trivia.'" Don also makes his classes lots of fun, but his class material is not trivial. As a volunteer for the Nations Ministry Center in Nashville, Tennessee, he teaches citizenship preparation to immigrants who want to make America their official country as well as their home. Most of Don's students are refugees. They've fled persecution, survived war, endured the hardships of overcrowded camps, and now have to navigate a new culture, a new language, and a new life. Not shying away, they choose to take the next step to become United States citizens. To pass the test, applicants must answer only six questions correctly. Sounds easy, but the catch is that the questions chosen come from a pool of 100. So students have to know all 100 answers to be sure of passing the six they are asked. No trivial task! The test is the equivalent of a final ex

084 Katie Richards—Nashville Neighbors Friends for Good—Siloam Family Health Center Take a moment to appreciate your friends. You know you can count on them for a listening ear when you're trying to figure out things, for good information and advice when you need direction, for help when you're in a bind, and yes, even for fun. Research has documented the value of friendships, showing that they contribute to the health, wellbeing, and confidence of people. Siloam Family Health Center serves the under-served population of Nashville, especially newly arrived refugees. The 25+ year-old program includes a primary care clinic, seeing 4,000 to 5,000 patients a year. Additionally, the center provides health education programs for their clients. And as "a whole-person health care ministry," Siloam has developed a program connecting the refugees with volunteer teams of new "friends," their own Nashville Neighbors. According to Katie Richards, Siloam's volunteer coordinator, a team is composed of six to 14 adults, usua

083 Kate McKinnie—The Next Door Wild Praying Women Create The Next Door They called themselves the Wild Praying Women! Concerned for the sufferings of people, they didn't know what to do, but pray. Funny thing about prayer—it often leads to action, which is what the Wild Praying Women found out. But now they had a clearer vision of where to concentrate their efforts, as well as their prayers: women and their families. The result is The Next Door, where 82 women at a time struggling with addiction (especially with opioids), mental illness, trauma, and/or incarceration can receive effective, caring treatment in a comprehensive residential program for 30 days plus outpatient services, alumni meetings, family services, and affordable housing options for themselves and their children after they have completed the initial stay at the facility. In 2017 alone 1,442 women and 367 family members found their way to a new life, simply by walking through The Next Door. Kate McKinnie, the volunteer coordinator, points out

082 George Bone—Memphis Catholic High School Building for the Future—Memphis Catholic High School After more than 20 years of volunteering, George Bone was no stranger to the rewards of giving back. But one reward was a big surprise to him. His alma mater, Memphis Catholic High School, wanted to honor him not only for his academic and athletic accomplishments while he was a student but also for the ways he had lived out the potential shown during those years in his work life and on behalf of his community as a volunteer. At the dinner to pay tribute to him and the nine others being inducted into the school's Hall of Fame, George especially noticed the students who were serving. They were respectful, well mannered, and passionate about their schooling, so much so that George wanted to know more. A second visit and what he learned opened yet another volunteering avenue. "I became fascinated by what the school does and basically just asked, 'What can I do?'" he recalls. Memphis Catholic High School, much changed

081 Mita Felman—DC Safe Never Ever Dull—DC Safe When Mita Felman retired from her career in public health administration and counseling, she didn't leave behind her compassion—nor her sense of adventure nor her willingness to take a risk. She brought all of that to her volunteer job with DC Safe, which takes her into areas of her city deemed unsafe and into circumstances no one wants to be a part of. As Mita says, the job has "never ever been dull"! Responding to a domestic abuse call dressed in everyday, "normal" clothes, Mita is in contrast to her partner, a uniformed police officer. In such conflicts, experience has shown that having the volunteer along can be calming and reassuring because the police are often viewed in that community with trepidation. With the kind of listening and counseling skills Mita and the other volunteers have, victims will more readily open up in ways that they would not have to the police, especially not to a male officer if the victim is female. Consequently, Mita is able to as