CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, N.Y. — Shirley Vandenburg, 92, has volunteered for a variety of organizations for roughly 30 years after she retired.
“I just like being around people. I was 62 and I wasn’t ready to stay home. I decided I was going to be active, and I have been since,” said Vandenburg.
What You Need To Know
May is Older Americans Month
One or two volunteers from each county Office for the Aging are being honored for their service
There are about one million volunteers in the state
Ellen Coffaro, 88, has also been a lifelong volunteer for a number of senior-citizen organizations and the American Red Cross.
“This has been my life. That’s the purpose that God gave me. My kids tell me, ‘Mom, you shouldn’t be doing so much,’ and I say I can’t stay home; I’ve got to be busy,” said Coffaro.
Both Coffaro and Vandenburg are among dozens of others from across the state honored as volunteers of the year.
Nominees from each of the state’s 59 county Offices for the Aging are being recognized for their long-standing commitment to helping others.
“They’re not looking for a pat on the back. They’re looking to stay active, stay engaged. We have this idea of what older adults are versus the reality, which is they are the backbone of family and community,” said Greg Olsen, the director of the New York State Office for the Aging.
Leaders say there are more than a million volunteers across the state, representing more than half a billion hours of service, which equates to $13.2 billion.
Volunteers like Coffaro and Vandenburg were nominated through their local Office for the Aging. The OFTA is launching a new volunteer program, and leaders are inviting people of all ages, like Coffaro and Vandenburg, to work with community members in a variety of programs.
“It says you are valued. It says we see you. And it says you have skills, talents and passions that you can give to the community,” said Dana Corwin, director of the Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services.
Both Coffaro and Vandenburg say they’re grateful for the state recognition. They recently made an appearance at the second annual Chautauqua Aging Expo and Conference to encourage others to give of their time.
“It’s fun. I like helping people if I can. I like to try to encourage people, even in our bingo group, to be healthy, and we support each other, and that’s a big thing, supporting each other,” said Vandenburg.
“It gives you a little glow, I guess, inside, a satisfaction that what you’ve done has helped a lot of people. I didn’t do any of my volunteering to be recognized, but it’s a very great honor to have them recognize the years that we have spent, Shirley and I, and all the other volunteers, not just us,” said Coffaro.
The Office for the Aging is holding its annual volunteer recognition event Tuesday afternoon in Albany.