Age: 89-plus.
Where I live and for how long: Minneola, since1963.
Originally from: Lancaster, Ohio.
Educational background: I graduated from West Liberty State College in West Virginia, and I have a degree in music and elementary studies.
Work experience: I was a public-school music teacher. I taught band and chorus, and I usually had an English class that I taught as well.
Where I volunteer: Westminster Care in Clermont.
What I do as a volunteer: I come over to play the piano for the church service. I also play songs to entertain the people in the Alzheimer’s unit. They really enjoy the older songs. A lot of them know all of the words to the songs from long ago and will sing along.
Why I decided to become a volunteer: I just figured I needed to be doing something. I came to visit a friend who was here at Westminster Care long ago, and back then they had people who would come in to play card games or people who told stories, but they didn’t have anyone who played music.
How long I have been volunteering: It’s been years.
What keeps me motivated: I still give piano lessons and band-instrument lessons and guitar lessons. I do all these things. I just can’t sit idle and do nothing.
What I hope to achieve: I just come over to volunteer because I’m glad to keep this service going. It’s nice.
What I have learned from my volunteer work: I suppose that the Lord expects me to make use of my talents for others.
One of my most rewarding moments: Some of the women in the Orange Blossom Society, which is the memory-loss unit here, who know all of the words to the songs I play. Also, I gave trumpet lessons to two boys when they were in high school, and long after they graduated they are still playing. I was happy about that, too.
