Living Well After 60: Questions We All Have

“I would like to volunteer, but where do I start?” 

In my last column, I talked about loneliness and some simple ways we can get ourselves out of the house, meet people, and hopefully feel a little more connected. 

One of my suggestions was volunteering. 

So I thought this week I would make it easy and give you some actual places to start. 

We are very fortunate to live in a community where there are so many organizations doing good things and almost all of them need help at one time or another. And please don’t think volunteering means you have to work all day, lift boxes or commit to being somewhere every week. 

There really is something for almost everyone. 

Here are a few places that would love to hear from you. 

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry 

I will start with the one I know best! 

Our Daily Bread Food Pantry has all kinds of volunteer opportunities. Yes, we need people who can help with food, but we also need volunteers for clerical work, answering phones, and many other things. 

If you are interested, just email volunteer@ourdailybreadfoodpantry.org. You don’t have to know exactly what you want to do. Tell us you would like to help and we will take it from there! 

MDR — Your Brain Health Matters 

MDR has several wonderful opportunities, especially if you enjoy being around people. 

Their Participant Program currently meets Mondays and Wednesdays, and they will add Thursdays beginning in January. 

Volunteers can help from 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM with the program, spend time with participants, play games, socialize, or help with music and exercise. 

They also need Lunch Hosts from 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM. You help serve lunch, sit and enjoy lunch and conversation with the group, and help clean up afterward. 

MDR also has a Memory Cafe on the third Tuesday of every month from 1:00 –3:30 PM. Volunteers help with activities, games, music, and exercise, but mostly they are there to visit and spend time with the participants. 

Contact operationsdirector@mdryourbrainhealthmatters.org or call 217-369-4633. 

Collier County Museums 

The Marco Island Historical Museum is doing well with volunteers right now, but I learned that some of the other Collier County Museums could really use some help. 

If you enjoy history or just enjoy meeting people, this might be a fun one to look into. 

Contact Karen Connetta at Karen.conetta@collier.gov. 

Marco Island Chamber of Commerce 

The Marco Island Chamber of Commerce is looking for friendly people to serve as Information Center Greeters. 

This sounds like a great opportunity for someone who likes people and loves Marco Island. 

You greet visitors, answer general questions, and help them find information about restaurants, businesses, attractions, events, and things to do around the island. 

And don’t worry—you don’t have to know everything. They will train you! 

Marco Island Center for the Arts 

The Marco Island Center for the Arts can always use volunteers, too. 

They have opportunities helping in the office, with children’s programs, special events, and at the Arts Center Theatre. 

If any of that sounds interesting, call Kayla Goss at 239-394-4221. 

NCH 

NCH Volunteer Services is looking for volunteers at the Steve and Barbara Slaggie Campus at 40 S. Heathwood Drive. 

They have several different opportunities, including greeting and helping patients at the Urgent Care desk, assisting in the physical therapy area, and helping with office and administrative work. 

And this is good news for our seasonal residents: you don’t have to live here year-round to volunteer. 

You can apply at nchmd.org/about-us/volunteer-services or call the NCH Volunteer Office at 239-624-3410. 

Now comes the hard part 

You have to make the call. 

I know that sounds silly, but sometimes that’s the hardest part. We tell ourselves we’ll do it next week. Or we think we’re too old, they don’t really need us, we don’t have enough time, or we don’t know anyone there. 

Make the call anyway.Or send the email. 

You don’t have to sign your life away. Try something once and see if you like it. If you don’t, try something else. 

And if getting out of the house is difficult, ask if there is something you can do from home. You might be able to make phone calls, write thank-you notes, help with mailings, or do some clerical work.Every little bit helps. 

I also have a challenge for those of you who aren’t lonely. 

Think of someone who might be.Maybe it’s a neighbor who lost her husband. Maybe it’s someone who doesn’t drive anymore. Maybe it’s a friend you haven’t seen at church or around town lately. 

The next time you’re going to volunteer, call that person and say, “I’m going. Want to come with me?” 

Sometimes that’s all it takes. 

And please keep sending me your questions about getting older. If you have a question, I can almost guarantee someone else has the same one.We’ll figure them out together, one question at a time.