Patrick and Dora Hicks are RSVP of Central Oklahoma volunteers. Dora volunteers at a food pantry and Patrick at a welcome center. They each enjoy their own personal volunteer experience, knowing that together they are making a difference. In 2009, Dora retired as a medical technologist from the Veterans Affairs Health Care System. She knew right away that she wanted to stay active and volunteer. After seeing an ad in the newspaper for a volunteer oppor-tunity at a local food pantry, Dora responded. She also signed up with RSVP of Central Oklahoma to receive updates on new volunteer opportunities. She shares what volunteering has meant for her.
After you retire, sometimes you don’t feel like you are making a difference. There is a tremendous sense of fulfillment in helping people. As a volunteer at a food pantry, I get to fill up the shopping carts with groceries for people in need of help. It would be a tragedy having food available for them but no one to help distribute the food. I love the extra benefits you receive as an RSVP of Central Oklahoma volunteer. There are many wonder-ful volunteer opportunities that I would never know about if it wasn’t for RSVP.
Patrick retired from the Air Force Reserves in 1999, and from teaching in 2007. Dora encouraged Patrick to volunteer, and in 2016, he also got involved as a volunteer at the welcome center through RSVP of Central Okla-homa. He has found a lot of satisfaction meeting new people and welcoming them to our community as they are passing by.
I’ve learned there is something for everyone when you volunteer. My wife loves serving at the food pantry, and I enjoy serving at the welcome center. I get to meet new people and hear their stories. It’s nice to know you’ve helped someone whether you are handing them bags of groceries or simply pointing them in the right direction.”We want to encourage others also to volunteer. Get a list of opportunities from RSVP of Central Oklahoma and pick something you think you may enjoy. Try it out. Go for it. It’s a wonderful way to keep yourself active.
We want to encourage others also to volunteer. Try it out. Go for it. It’s a wonderful way to keep yourself active.