Create the Good

Serving others makes you Rich

Posted on 12/19/2012 by | Volunteering | Comments

Volunteering | Your LifeRecently, I was travelling across the upper plains, when I woke up to the thermometer reading negative 26 degrees. I hadn’t experienced these kinds of temperatures since I lived in Minnesota as a child. Yet, somehow, I forgot that the cold can really sting. I forgot that the weather can change drastically in an instant. I forgot that you don’t sit next to a drafty door in a coffee shop. I simply forgot that Jack Frost is still a formidable …

Celebrate Volunteers Through International Volunteer Day

Posted on 12/5/2012 by | Chief Volunteer | Comments

VolunteeringSince 1985, on Dec. 5 each year, AARP has proudly taken part in the celebration of the United Nations International Volunteer Day. Our founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus,  set one tenet in stone at AARP, and that is our motto: “To serve, not to be served.” She believed older Americans had much to contribute — in ability, in experience, and in desire to advance the public good — and likewise, that society had much to gain from its older citizens. It’s …

The Queen of Toilet Paper

Posted on 11/27/2012 by | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringThis is a guest post by Margot Seay. Margot is AARP’s first National Volunteer Director.  Sarita McCaw of Walla Walla, Wash., can sum up her service passion in two words — “toilet paper.”  And her efforts around this humble commodity are making a real difference both for struggling families in her community and the organizations dedicated to their support. Why toilet paper, you ask?  Despite being a core necessity, toilet paper, or “TP,” is not eligible for purchase with food stamps.  …

4 Ways To Give Thanks By Giving Back

Posted on 11/1/2012 by | Volunteering | Comments

Volunteering | Your LifeIt’s tradition for many families to sit around the Thanksgiving table to pause – momentarily – while each person says something they are thankful for. Most of the time, the items shared are the same from year to year: “I’m thankful for a loving family”…or…”a good job”…or…”a roof over my head”…or…”plenty of  food to eat,” and while saying what we are thankful is a nice holiday practice, would you allow me to make a tiny suggestion? Try showing your thankfulness. …

Do Good. Feel Better.

Posted on 10/26/2012 by | Volunteering | Comments

VolunteeringThis is a guest post by Margot Seay. Margot is AARP’s first National Volunteer Director.  All across the country, committed volunteers are hard at work, making a real and positive difference in their communities and reaping significant rewards along the way. When we ask “what’s in it for you?,” we get lots of answers — the sense of pride and accomplishment in helping others, a deeper connection to the community, the opportunity to develop meaningful relationships, the satisfaction of learning valuable …

AARP Illinois Out in Force for Day of Service

Posted on 09/21/2012 by | All the news that matters for Illinoisans over 50. | Comments

Your LifeFrom Chicago and its suburbs, to Rockford in the north and Springfield downstate, AARP staff and volunteers were out in force on Day of Service working to make a difference for seniors, veterans and low-income families. Fighting hunger, helping seniors and volunteers, and keeping the memory of 9/11 alive were the main focus points as AARP staffers and dozens of volunteers spread across Illinois to engage in Day of Service projects in Chicago, the Chicago suburbs, Rockford and state capital …

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