Serving seniors

Editor's note: This is the eighth in a series of stories with an introduction from Nancy Jernigan at the United Way highlighting volunteers and agencies who are active in or funded by the United Way of Southeast Missouri. To get involved, visit the United Way online at www.unitedwayofsemo.org, at its offices at 430A Broadway or by phone at 334-9634.

Our area is fortunate to have three senior centers, one in Cape Girardeau, one in Jackson and one in Scott City. All three provide a variety of services. Each weekday you can eat a delicious hot meal during lunchtime at the centers and enjoy socializing with dozens of other seniors from the community. For seniors who can't get to the centers, staff and volunteers will deliver the same meal to their home.

Programs and activities are also scheduled at the centers to help seniors with issues they have in common, including nutrition and exercise and help with financial paperwork and insurance forms. They can also enjoy their hobbies at the center such as quilting and card playing.

Through the benefits seniors receive at our area OAKS centers, seniors live a healthier and happier life and are allowed to live independently much longer than they may be able to otherwise. Volunteer opportunities are plentiful at the centers, with dozens of volunteers used each week in each community to help cook and deliver meals. Call the Cape Girardeau center at 335-1352, the Jackson center at 243-4241 or the Scott City Center at 264-3402.

Name: Patricia "Pat" Moore

Age: 63

Where are you from? Chaffee, Mo.

Where do you live now? Jackson

How long have you lived in the Southeast Missouri area? Off and on all my life.

What do you do for a living? I am medically retired, but I used to be a secretary for the U.S. Army for over 15 years and was a waitress for over 32 years.

How often do you volunteer? Twice a week

How long have you been volunteering? A little over a month.

What made you want to volunteer? I was asked if I wanted to and I had nothing to do, so I said OK.

What do you do for OAKS? I work in the dining room making the tea and keeping the coffee going from around 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. when we close. I also help package the orders to go out to individuals in their homes and sometimes work on the line if they need me.

How do you think volunteering here has changed/affected you? I loved to be around older people ever since I was a real young girl. The neighborhood where I grew up was all older people except for a family of eight kids and I would rather have been with the older people learning from them than to be out playing with the kids.

What lessons have you learned here? That older people really appreciate what you do for them. But they would rather do for themselves than for you to do it for them.

Tell us about a specific experience that sticks out for you. There is this one couple that comes in. ... The man always says hello to me. His wife is on a walker, and he takes her by the arm and carries her pocketbook for her. The other day he said to me that it was awful nice of me to do this for "us old folks." I told him that I was getting there myself, and he called me a young pup! I thought that was so cute.

Why should someone volunteer at OAKS? I don't volunteer for any reward or money, but because I enjoy it. I went to a ladies 100th birthday down at Chaffee a couple of weeks ago, and she still volunteers calling people to see if they are all right. So if she can do it, why can't I? I enjoy these people I see every day and the ones I meet along the way. It will do you good. Why not try it?