Senior Volunteer Group to Hold Orientation in McLean, May 2

RSVP Northern Virginia will hold a volunteer orientation at Dolley Madison Library, Wednesday, May 2, at 2:30 p.m. The hour-long event is free and open to anyone 55-years-young or better.

RSVP (Retired and Senior Volunteer Program) is the region’s largest volunteer network for people 55 and older and provides individualized support to seniors seeking service opportunities in and around Fairfax County, Arlington County and the City of Alexandria.

RSVP volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, free accident and liability insurance while serving, optional mileage and meal reimbursement and are invited to volunteer group projects and social gatherings. RSVP offers its members more than 200 volunteer opportunities, many which are located In Fairfax County, including providing rides, support and meals to older neighbors, assisting local veterans in need and helping prepare the community for disasters.

The Dolley Madison Library is located at 1244 Oak Ridge Avenue in McLean.

To sign up for the May 2, orientation, please email RSVP Volunteer Specialist Carly Hubicki at chubicki@volunteerfairfax.org or call the RSVP Hotline at 703-403-5360.

Why do seniors RSVP?

What separates RSVP from other volunteer organizations is its leadership and the approach it takes, treating each volunteer as an individual, according to RSVP volunteer and engagement leader Ken Kozloff (shown in photos.) As an engagement leader, Kozloff tells prospective volunteers "We are going to show you things and talk to you about specific opportunities that you can relate to."

RSVP offers a wide array of opportunities for volunteers including providing rides, support and meals to older neighbors, assisting local veterans in need and helping prepare communities for disasters. RSVP also recruits volunteers for various community events.

RSVP volunteers enjoy flexible schedules, free accident and liability insurance while serving, optional mileage and meal reimbursement and are invited to volunteer group projects and social gatherings.

What does Kozloff get out of volunteering? "The big thing that I get out of volunteering is the satisfaction of helping others," he says. "I love to help others, find out what their goals are and help them achieve them, whether it is teaching an autistic child to swim from one side of the pool to the other, or teaching a stroke patient who would like to learn to swim again.

He also enjoys working with other volunteers and letting them know how important it is to make other people feel good. He tells them that they will feel twice as good because they are helping people.

To learn more about RSVP, please visit www.rsvpnova.org. RSVP Northern Virginia is a volunteer program of Volunteer Fairfax, Volunteer Arlington, and Volunteer Alexandria.