Celebrating National Volunteer Month in San Ramon

As a busy career woman, longtime San Ramon resident Mary Rutherford didn't have much time to devote to her community. But after she retired from her job with a telephone company, she noticed an advertisement for the city's volunteer program.

She saw becoming a San Ramon City Lights Volunteer as her chance to become more engaged in her community. For four years, Rutherford has been helping fellow residents sign up for classes and activities. It's made retirement more fulfilling for the 62-year-old, who spends two days a week at the front desk of the San Ramon Community Center at Central Park.

"I work with amazing, intellectual and very interesting people," Rutherford said. "I enjoy meeting new people every day and helping find classes and activities for them and their children."

April is national volunteer month, and San Ramon offers a plethora of volunteer opportunities all year round with non-profit organizations, foundations, business associations and the city itself.

More than 200 volunteers donate an average of 35,000 hours of service per year to the city, according to Nicole Blazin, marketing and public relations analyst for the city of San Ramon. Whether it's special events at the Alcosta Senior & Community Center or providing tours at volunteers can offer help to their neighbors in their daily lives or give them a glimpse of the city's agricultural history.

At the Alcosta Senior & Community Center, about 100 volunteers serve as many as 150 visitors each weekday. Many are seniors themselves, but even teens get involved, helping in the kitchen or offering tips on using cell phones, digital cameras and computers in technology sessions.

The center has an ongoing need for drivers, said Program Manager Terry, noting that the center operates vans to transport participants 55 and older from their homes to attend lunch programs and a variety of classes.

Another program for the elderly, Senior Helpline Services, needs drivers for its free transportation program that serves ambulatory residents 60 and older who reside in Contra Costa County. Volunteers are matched one-to-one with seniors, most of whom have health problems and need to travel to medical appointments, grocery stores and other necessary destinations.

A second Senior Helpline program, Reassurance Phone Friends, accepts volunteers 18 and older to telephone seniors at their homes routinely to check on their well-being. The volunteers build personal relationships with their clients, checking on their health, their needs and encouraging them to share news about their families or friends.

"We make sure people are where they are supposed to be," said the helpline's Janet Johnson. "The point is to keep seniors in their homes and not be institutionalized."

San Ramon resident Harriett Hartnett learned about the helpline about seven years ago, when she was recovering from a broken leg and a volunteer began to call her at home. About three years ago, she became one herself.

Harnett calls three phone friends each week, each of whom she feels she has a warm relationship with.

'You get to know them and you care about them and their families," said Hartnett, who is 80. "It's having a connection with other people. If you are doing anything to help somebody a little bit, it makes you feel good."

Want to volunteer? Here are some options: 

City of San Ramon City Lights Volunteer Program

2222 Camino Ramon, San Ramon

www.ci.san-ramon.ca.us.gov

925-973-3222

Alcosta Senior & Community Center

9300 Alcosta Blvd. San Ramon

Nido Paras, volunteer coordinator

encoreprogam@comcast.net

925-973-3250

Senior Helpline Services

www.seniorhelpline.net

Rides for Seniors

Janet Johnson

925-284-6699

Reassurance Phone Friends

925-284-6161

San Ramon Valley Education Foundation

Cristene Burr, executive director

925-895-3400

cristene@svref.org

Therapeutic Recreation Program, Special Olympics

925-973-3250

Child Abuse Prevention Council

925-946-9261

San Ramon Public Library

http://ccclib.org/

925-973-2850 or 925-973-3380

Contra Costa County Sheriff's Search and Rescue

www.contracostasar.org

925-646-4462