SHARING THE EXPERIENCE OF A LIFETIME; SENIOR CITIZENS VOLUNTEER SKILLS THROUGH RSVP

Joann "Peggy" Taylor was looking for an activity to get her out of the house once in awhile. She loves reading; loves children and loves helping others.

Thanks to RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program), Taylor helps children at Washington Elementary School twice a week.

Taylor is among 355 volunteers over age 60 contributing 9,000 hours of community service each month at 28 agencies in Cape Girardeau County and 48 agencies in Scott County through the RSVP program.

"We could double that if we had the manpower to recruit and place volunteers," said Ellie Knight, RSVP administrator. "No matter what needs done, someone likes to do it."

The RSVP service is two-fold, Knight said. A senior person can enhance his or her life by utilizing the skills and talents they have developed over their lifetime to help the community. Community service agencies benefit from that expertise.

The basic retirement for senior citizen volunteers is that they be age 60 or over and interested in helping. Volunteers work only for non-profit agencies.

RSVP is part of ACTION, the federal volunteer agency; 70 percent of the funding for RSVP comes from ACTION under the Older American Act. The remaining money comes from local individuals and organizations.

Knight, something of a professional volunteer herself for years, was recruited to head the program when it started in 1973 in Chaffee. Over the years, RSVP grew to include all of Scott County. In April 1992, RSVP received new funding to expand the program to Cape Girardeau County.

"It's a shame what we do to older people. We tell them we don't need you anymore, go sit down and die," Knight said.

When first offered the job, Knight wasn't really interested.

"I wasn't looking for a full-time job. They were so insistent, so I went over to explain why I wasn't interested. But they started explaining the program.

"I got to thinking, what if we could match older folks' skills and what they love to do with an agency that needs those skills performed."

The program was born.

Retired nurses work at blood drives, retired drivers man transit buses, retired beauticians help out at nursing homes, retired teachers work in schools.

But, Knight said, seniors are encouraged to look at new areas of interest. Training is available and no volunteer is locked into an assignment. If they don't like it, they can change.

The posts range from day care assistants and teachers aides, to ombudsmen for nursing centers and delivering meals to shut-ins.

Volunteers create craft projects, make telephone calls to check on the well-being others, offer aid to veterans and assist with alcohol or drug rehabilitation.

The seniors serve noon meals at nutrition centers, organize blood drives and health clinics, provide respite care, mentor for high-risk youths and assist with exercise classes.

The list goes on.

Senior citizens and musicians Sloan and Ruby Tuschhoff, somewhat of an entertainment fixture at area nursing homes, signed up through RSVP to coordinate their performances.

"We definitely don't sit in a rocking chair," said Ruby Tuschhoff. "It's good for us."

The Tuschhoffs team up with a number of other senior musicians and perform regularly at the Missouri Veteran's Home, LaCroix Nursing Home, Chateau Girardeau Health Center and other locations.

"You know we have a good time," said Ruby Tuschhoff. "And I think they have a good time too.

"We sing a variety of old songs, new songs, funny songs," she said. "And occasionally one of them gets up and sings a song. We fully enjoy it."

Taylor, who works at Washington School, read about RSVP in a newspaper article.

"I love reading and I love children," Taylor said. "I thought I could put that together. I would have been hesitant to go in on my own," Taylor said. "You don't want to intrude on the teachers."

So she contacted Knight, expressed a desire to work at Washington School. Knight set up the rest.

"I've been doing it now since the beginning of March, twice a week," Taylor said. "I love it.

"I love being with the kids. There are so many children in need of a lot of one-on-one attention."

Taylor helps children complete tasks assigned by their classroom teachers. She doesn't teach. Instead she offers encouragement and a little assistance when needed.

"It's just fun to me to watch their progress and I've seen progress even in this short period of time."

Taylor said senior citizens can offer wisdom and patience to children.

"The key element is concentrating on loving the child," she said. "And being older, I would hope we can see things with a little broader perspective of what's really important. And we know the value of this little child."

With the school year about to end, Taylor is looking for summer volunteer efforts. She's interested in helping children from the city's east side through some sort of reading program.

Knight said lots of opportunities are available for seniors. "Cape County has a large elderly population," she said. "There is no limit to what we can do if we mobilize these folks."

Knight said the program is expanding the number of agencies and also doing recruitment to find volunteers to fill specific jobs.

For more information, call 335-7555 in Cape Girardeau, 887-3664 in Chaffee or 471-8584 in Sikeston.