Back when I was a young whippersnapper of 30 or 40 years of age, I didn't volunteer for much of anything.
I was involved in some church activities, but I dreaded being asked to volunteer. I was too busy trying to make a living and hauling kids here and there to be very community minded. At least that was my excuse back then.
So here we are, some 30 years later, and I have run out of excuses. When we were relatively new to the area, we joined a church home group, which has been a great experience. We made new friends and enjoy the weekly gatherings.
One of the people I met in the home group convinced me to join the Friends of the Fife Lake Library as a board member. I became involved in silent auctions, fundraising, book sales and barn sales, all for the benefit of a new community library. Through a lot of hard work by all those involved, our community raised enough money to build a beautiful new library without help from tax dollars.
I enjoy serving on the board, but felt like getting involved in additional community activities. It turns out that one of the people I work with on the Friends board also runs the local Care & Share Food Pantry about which I have written in a prior column. That sounded like a worthwhile project, so I began helping her and her husband on Thursdays making up food baskets for local people needing a little assistance. It's amazing how one thing leads to another.
One of the luxuries of being retired and free of the responsibilities required of raising children is the freedom to do many things that we couldn't when we were younger. We often read articles about people getting bored when they are no longer pursuing a career. Getting involved in some form of community service guarantees that you won't have that problem.
You can't imagine how interesting it is and how many people you meet. The key to a rewarding experience is choosing activities that interest you. This allows you to really enjoy your involvement. It has been suggested that you ask yourself why you are volunteering and assess your strengths and skills. Decide how many days per week you want to volunteer and how that will fit in with what you are already doing with your time.
It's best not to over-commit and, as I've been advised, "learn to say no" when you feel you are getting too involved. You need to allow time for household chores. And let's not forget fishing!
Retirement can be a time to support a cause you believe in, give back to your community and hone new skills. Your "paycheck" now comes in the form of new friendships, a sense of purpose and the rewarding feeling that comes though helping others.
Ed Hungness and his wife retired to their cottage on Fife Lake. He can be reached at edhungness@yahoo.com or care of the Record-Eagle.
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