RSVP recognizes service by hundreds of volunteers in region

It's one of those mutually beneficial relationships. Volunteers fill gaps in the lives of others and in their own lives.

"I feel that we are doing something to help others," said volunteer Sarah Borchelt of Cape Girardeau, speaking about herself and her husband, Ben. "But we're retired and looking for something to do too. We enjoy it. We meet people. It helps us get out and makes a person feel good."

In recognition of their efforts to make a difference, the Retired Senior Volunteer Program of both Cape Girardeau and Scott counties honored its current volunteers during a ceremony at the Drury Lodge in Cape Girardeau Wednesday.

The local RSVP began in Chaffee, Mo., in 1973 under the sponsorship of the Chaffee Housing Authority. The next year, it expanded into Sikeston, Scott City and then the entire Scott County area. In 1992, the program expanded into Cape Girardeau County.

RSVP is now sponsored through the Southeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging. There are currently 37 RSVP programs in Missouri.

With 587 volunteers serving 100 agencies such as the Gibson Recovery Center, the Kenny Rogers Children's Center and the Jackson Ministerial Alliance, the local RSVP program generates 8,500 volunteer hours every month. RSVP volunteers perform anywhere from five to 20 assignments at these agencies each day.

The RSVP program recruits volunteers age 55 or older in order to help expand the services of nonprofit agencies struggling with today's social issues and problems, said Tina McDowell, local RSVP director.

"RSVP volunteers enhance the quality of life as well as enrich our society and our communities," McDowell said. "Several nonprofit agencies throughout both counties depend on the help of volunteers to serve, assist and extend services to clients with their agency."

Some of the services provided by RSVP volunteers include: tutoring, performing clerical duties, assisting the elderly, protecting the environment, furthering education, promoting literacy, assisting police departments, providing respite care, assisting with alcohol and drug rehabilitation, working to reduce hunger and mentoring at-risk youth.

"I feel the people in our community need to understand the importance of volunteerism and our senior population. Volunteerism is needed throughout the country and can have a tremendous impact on our society," McDowell said.

For more information about RSVP, call one of its local offices: Chaffee at (573) 887-3664, Cape Girardeau at 335-7555, Sikeston at (573) 471-8584.

jgosche@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 133

RSVP VOLUNTEERS

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program for Cape Girardeau and Scott counties honored more than 580 current volunteers on Wednesday. Volunteers are listed here by the year they joined RSVP:

2002

Ernest Adams, Clara Broadhacker, Edythe Davis, Muriel Day, Betty Edwards, Neal Edwards, Harry Gremore, Jackie Griffith, Mary Ann Jordan, Dorothy Point, Frank Rayburn, Howard Reynolds, Mary Helen Reynolds, Joyce Rickman, Cora Lee Sample, Doyle Sample, Morris Seyer, Virginia Seyer, Nina Stevenson, Jerry Trower

2001

Howard Bock, Joan Burnes, Eloise Conner, Betty Craft, Patricia Fleurdelys, Lucy Fowler, John Garrett, LaVerne Kinder, Jean Knotts, Raymond Leadbetter, Melba McCall, Albert Nyland, Betty Palmer, Robert Parsons, Carolyn Pendergrass, John Robinson, Donald Rodgers, Robert Seabaugh, Marian Schneider, Lynn Shephard, Barbara Simpson, Clifford Smith, Jessie Mae Smith, Fay Spencer, Gordon Spencer, Boyd Summers, Al Zember, Virginia Zember, Evelyn Zimmerman

2000

June Beal, June Black, Melba Brase, Ruth Britzman, Mary Buchanan, Billie Carroll, Betty Chappell, Evelyn Dollinger, Catherine Dunn, Ruby Marie Fredrich, Evelyn Gholson, Shirley Gill, Grechen Green, Virgil Green, Phillip Groves, Modean Hahs, James "Rex" Haynes, Walter Henk, Everett Johnston, Virginia Jones, Rosella Koller, Doris Langston, Iris Likens, Dorothy Lincoln, Marie Littlepage, Thelma Madison, Maxine Montgomery, Audrey Morgan, Dorothy Peetz, Edna Peetz, Mary Perryman, Glenda Pobst, Larry Pobst, Pansie Poe, Elda Polisch, Olga Reitzel, Louis Rohlfs, Paula Salzmann, Clara Seabaugh, Lloyd Seabaugh, Fran Sitzes, Marjorie Stone, Laura "Marie" Stoner, Sherry Stroder, Hannah Todt

1999

Betty Bess, Bob Brown, Erline Brown, Vivian Burch, Jackie Cecil, Ralph Chitty, Margaret Crites, Jean Duniphan, Owen Dye, Melvin Eggiman, Janie Evans, Fred Fair, Mildred Gallagher, Anna Lee Hahs, Donald Hahs, Hadley Hartman, David Hay, Janis Hay, Mary Henley, LaWanda Ice, Patricia Irvin, Merl Keefer, Ruth Ladd, Freda Layton, Elsie Lingle, Ella Lynch, Nita Marshall, C.L. McCoy, Lola McCoy, Anton Miederhoff, Wanda Miederhoff, Janet Moore, Sue Nauert, Fred Nebel, Bob Nussbaum, Sara "Lisa" Peel, Ron Pilz, W.J. Pledger, Clarie Prass, Joe Raines, Billy Rhodes, Jewel Robinson, Raymond Rowell, Shirley Schmidt, Loretta Schneider, Mary Sheilds, Mildred Sloas, John Sonderman, Euil Trickey, Hester Turner, Virginia Walter, Jean Warren, Saundra Whitmore, Jean Wibbenmeyer

1998

Melba Aguilar, Faye Amelunke, Karen Bain, Nita Brazel, Dick Brazel, Dale Brown, Joy Bruce, B.J. Bowman, Dorothy Bowers, Veronica Butler, Sarah Buchanon, Barbara Clayton, Joyce Clifton, Jack Cracraft, Diz Davis, Wadine Eaker, Sally Finger, Joy Grace, Albert Grainger, Elva Mae Hall, Alice Happe, Betty Heuring, Vanna Hoyt, Lillian Jenkins, Bessie Johnson, Ruby Kneibert, Mary "Polly" Lewis, Virginia Lovelace, Jackie Lowes, Mildred Mason, Delores Moll, Nagaka Naite, Freida Park, Anna Lee Ravenstein, Kathryn Riddle, Marjorie Risha, Frances Sanders, Dorothy Seabaugh, Norma Seabaugh, Kermit Shetley, Betty Smith, Jane Watson, Bill Wilferth, Marie Williams, Betty Wilson, Mildred Ziegenhorn

1997

Charles Beardslee, Jay Bradford, Betty Braise, Evelyn Brown, Phillip Brown, Bill Cannon, Dorothy Dees, Agnes Dobbs, Marilyn Dohogne, Charlotte Dunn, Orene Holland, Lelah Jackson, Geneva Oliver, Milton Kasten, Ellie Knight, Delia Lampley, Carlene Linn, Alfred Mason, Sam Masterson, Susie McFerron, Betty Mirly, Bud Mulligan, Shirley Minton, Evelyn Moore, Juanita Moore, W.H. Newman, JoAnn Kasten, Carolyn Pickens, Jerry Pickens, Kenneth Pope, Susan Retz, Tom Seabaugh, Nelson Sebastian, Gaylon Smith, J.L. Sparkman, Jean Whitaker, Jim Woeltze

1996

Melba Bennett, Diane Blades, James Bowers, Frances Britt, Nancy Caldwell, Dean Campbell, Dorothy Campbell, Ingeborg Charek, Michael Charek, June Combs, Vance Combs, Dorothy Coots, Farrel Craig, Ivan Craig, Charles Evans, LaWanda Gorton, Dorothy House, Wayne Isaac, Sam Johnson, Doris Jones, Marilyn Logel, Onita McClary, Evelyn McClintock, Stella Mills, Helen Mosby, Mable Mullins, Wanda Newton, Ruth Ponder, Tom Ponder, Constance Powell, Charlotte Proffer, Edward Proffer, Willa Dean Propst, Evelyn Richardson, Carolyn Robinson, Roger Scott, LaVerne Seyer, Vince Seyer, Maxine Seymour, Paul Seymour, June Simmons, Maxine Spane, Lois Unfer, LaVerne Van Weelden, Evelyn Wille, Ken Wood, Lorene Wood, Lloyd Young

1995

Betty Andrews, Emma Backer, Vernice Baumstark, Agnes Bendell, Leila Boldrey, Ben Borchelt, Lisa Bohnert, Marie Bradford, Pat Brooks, Sally Burke, Caudette Cecil, Etheleen "Babe" Crider, Corrine Crumpecker, Ruby Eichorn, Alice Faulkner, Madeline Godwin, Betty Golightly, Fred Golightly, Evelyn Grebe, Zelma Gremore, Helen Guth, Dee Hargrave, James Hayes, Malinda Haynes, Dorothy Heise, Bea Heisserer, Juanita Henley, Marjorie Hildebrand, Richard Hildebrand, John Hill Jr., Grace Hoover, Judy Jones, Hazel Kester, Gardis Kump, Gene LaFont, Irma Lappe, Virginia Lewis, John Likens, Edith Mallard, Arthur Mattingly, Reva McClain, Leona McLain, Jean Miller (Cape), Ken Moxey, Mildred Munson, Harold Nothdurft, Betty Osbourne, Dean Osbourne, Louise Parkhurst, Dorothy Pennington, Mary Ann Pensel, Rosie Phegley, Ruby Propst, Bert Putman, Margie Reisenbichler, Marie Rubel, Fern Schlimme, John Schneider, Alma Lee Slinkard, James Slinkard, Bonnie Smith, Rosalie Snider, Nelda Steffen, Dorothy Stout, Max Stovall, Geraldine Stroder, Malita Stubblefield, Louise Taylor, Helen Trickey, Wanda Williamson, Rosena Willard, Shirley Young

1994

Dick Aguilar, Bernice Ancell, Ilena Aslin, Alma Bodenstein, Sarah Borchelt, Mildred Burnes, Peggy Butler, Marilyn Chapman, Betty Cole, Velma Craiglow, Anna Marie Daume, Betty Deen, Gil Degenhardt, Lorna Dreyer, Marjorie Engleman, Mary Gerlach, Viola Geiser, Virginia Goodwin, Faye Griffin, LaVerne Gross, Lora Henk, Bonnie Horman, Sina Kaiser, Dorothy Keller, Marjorie Kirkpatrick, Opal Klaproth, Vickie Seabaugh, Helen Little, Phillis McClanahan, Betty McFerron, G.E. McFerron, Margaret Moore, Bessie Nagel, Mary Nothdurft, Marilyn Nussbaum, Helen Owens, Evelyn Peetz, Kathryn Proctor, Woodrow Proctor, Hilda Randolph, Eloise Roth, Jim Roth, Viola Sadler, Marion Sander, Joe Seabaugh, Joan Seagraves, Faye Shaffar, Hulda Seivers, Edna Simpson, Lois Spalding, Jan Steck, Della Stoops, Margaret Taylor, Verna Vogel, Jack Wells, Laverne Wells, Erline Whitesell

1993

Albert Atkins, Loretta Atkins, Bob Black, Clara Cable, Naomi Davis, Ray Dillingham, Ruth Dillingham, Jerry Ann Dixon, Terry Enquist, Jean Grantham, Marie Hampton, Peggy Hitt, Virginia Holsinger, Addie Mae Jones, Blanche Jones, Harold Kielhofner, Wanda Leonard, Alberta Loos, Calvin Nebel, Mary Ilene Niswonger, Mary Quade, Theon Schlosser, Harriett Schumacher, Dorothy Shy, Mabel Shy, Mary Ann Spurlock, Tharon Stallings, Jeanie Stroup, Velda Trapp, Helen Vangilder, Selma Welker

1992

Lillian Accord, Mildred Bartlett, Marie Birk, LaRue Brown, Lou Vera Daugherty-Wilferth, Anita Estes, Hazel Fiehler, Rupert Fiehler, Bob Harper, Arlyn Helder, Maggie Hoffman, Richard Holekamp, Bernice Hoppe, Louise Kester, Luella Kielhofner, Gilbert Leimer, Jeanette Leimer, Melvin Litchenegger, Dora Mantel, Alene McConnell, Lela Mae McElroy, Jean Miller (Scott City), Marie Miller, Ila Niswonger, Esther Nobus, Sarah Rice, Ruby Sander, Gwen Schild, Imogene Seabaugh, Loy Seabaugh, Marie Sebastian, Norman Sebastian, Rosalee Sides, Maxine Southard, Altha Springer, Ruby Stearns, Jim Stubbs, Kathy Stueve, Siddie Swain, Ruby Tuschhoff, Sloan Tuschhoff, Martha Wagner, Joan Weaks, Mary Wilkison, William Wilkison

1991

Elsie Blackwood, Berneal Carroll, Bridwell Crenshaw, Evelyn Dockins, Velma Dobbs, Teresa Eftink, Jeanette Frazier, Doris Gaylord, Esther Gisi, Dorothy Hampton, Jane Mann, Juanita Newsome, James Reinagel, Rachel Sitzes, Marie Weaks

1990

Jane Albrecht, Margie Blankenship, Louise Conn, Bill Edwards, Mildred Eldridge, Margaret Evans, Ed Gates, Eileen Law, Tina Lowe, Alma Dean Marcum, Pat Parmenter, Lillian Scherer, Monola Senn, Sue Sharp, Betty Tongate, Jackie Ward

1989

Helen Chittenden, Edith Davidson, Annie Essner, Helena Hutchinson, Neva Taylor, Ann Whitfield

1988

Helen Crump, Ann Glueck, Elsie Lyons, Ruth Pfefferkorn, Cecil Shelby, Eliza Strickland, Lou Etta Webb

1987

Thelma Bess, Nadine Holder, Violet Strebler, Betty Yeargin

1986

Dorothy Clayton, Martha Elliott, Gladys Nebel, Dorothy Raines, Howard Spicer

1985

Virginia Beardslee, Lila Brannock, J.W. Groseclose

1984

Vivian Patterson, Marie Spicer

1983

Marjorie Sneed

1982

Margaret Alger, Phyllis Bollinger, Jewel Harber, Warren Harber, Aleen Leible, Clyde Reed, Virginia Richardson, Jewel Ross

1981

Helen Bollinger, Hester McElmurry, Ellen Siebert

1980

Opal Coakley, Luella Duncan, Ada Jean Wagoner

1979

Maggie Holder, Lorene Knupp, Ruth Welsh

1974

Elsa Melzer, Frances Reed, Wilma Ross

1973

Eloise Moore