My previous article, “What are Boomers interested in?” focused on their hobbies, but this topic encompasses such a broad scope it deserves more air time.
Volunteering is one of the popular hobbies that boomers undertake. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a volunteer as “One who renders a service or takes part in a transaction while having no legal concern or interest.” Dictionary.com defines a volunteer as “A person who performs a service willingly and without pay.” In other words, Boomers are using some of their free time to serve others.
Boomers are not always appreciated for their voluntary service. In fact, some people say they are greedy or selfish. Although some may be, according to SeasonedPros, “They are one of the most charitable generations with their time….” You merely have to look around you to see them in action.
In hospitals, boomers provide directions on where to go, push the sick around in wheelchairs, and do much more. They help prepare and serve meals at food kitchens. They sort items and pack boxes at food banks. I visited a senior in a retirement home in Florida one year. John, a boomer who played the guitar, was the musical guest for the home’s entertainment that afternoon. He played that instrument with all his heart to please the audience. John told me he volunteered to play once every week and loved it.
While volunteering is to perform a service willingly without pay, there is a benefit to both the giver and the receiver. In the 1960s, Barbra Streisand sang the hit song People. The lyrics said, “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” If I could reword that song, I would say, “People who help people are the most blessed people in the world.”
Have you ever done a good deed for someone and seen the look of gratitude in that person’s eyes? Do you recall the smile on her face? Do you remember how you felt warm and mushy inside? The feeling is hard to describe; you have to experience it. You think nothing of doing a good deed; it seems like such a simple thing. But it’s impactful on the recipient and gets your adrenalin flowing, and you want to do more. Boomers are volunteering more and more.
A quote from my soon-to-be-released book, College Life of a Retired Senior: “In-person classes allowed me to see my classmates, hear them, observe them, and even form friendships with some of them; however, I soon discovered that millennials are difficult to befriend.”