Opportunities Abound in Retirement

April 1, 2015 – Jack Sirard contributing writer

Jack Sirard

Softball News Report

One of the greatest fears that would-be retirees have, other than running out of money, is finding something to do once they leave the security of the workforce – and for good reason.

Over the past 40 years or so, they’ve been dutifully reporting to work on a regular basis whether it’s building car at a General Motors factory in Flint or serving ice cream at a Baskin-Robbins in Burbank. They’ve had something to do, a purpose in life, a place to go.

Once the freshness of retirement wears off and you’re back home from your worldwide travels or your trips to visit all the grandkids, many are shocked to discover that they really have no plans for living the next phase of their life – retirement.

On the flip side of the retirement coin, you can find thousands of people who’ll tell you that they’ve never been busier, that their lives are fully engaged in living out their golden years and as a result, they couldn’t be happier and healthier.

That’s because they either knew what they were going to do in retirement or quickly found out that they weren’t going to spend their idle hours attempting to write the next great American novel.

Having been retired myself for the last eight years or so, I found that there are scores of opportunities for seniors volunteering their services to the vast array of non-profits. You only need to scan your local newspaper or consult with friends and family to discover the rewarding world of volunteerism.

Here are a few examples of what I found:

My wife and I are heavily involved in Special Olympics both as coaches and fundraisers. It’s a natural step for those in Senior Softball to step onto the Special Olympic softball field because teams always need coaching help or just someone to shag balls in the outfield. And who doesn’t have some extra equipment laying around that these eager Special Olympic athletes would love to own?

Many people don’t realize that Special Olympics offers a full range of athletic programs on a year-round basis. In addition to softball and the well-known sports such as track and field and basketball, there’s golf, where you can help out by being anything from an alternate-shot playing partner to a caddy. Or you could just drive the cart around at a tournament and help keep score.

Other sports that are offered, depending on where you live, include such things as bocce ball, swimming, soccer, floor hockey, volleyball, bowling and various snow sports. Most Senior Softball players have a world of knowledge and training in these sports and that could be invaluable to those in need of assistance.

In addition to Special Olympics, many, many communities offer other sports programs for the disabled doing everything from water skiing to Little League. Once you get involved, you’ll no doubt be hooked on helping.

I’ve also enjoyed working with my former college, both mentoring journalism students on a regular basis and providing some extra funds for scholarship programs. There’s nothing like returning to campus to rekindle the excitement of being back at college, seeing the freshness of youth and the untapped potential in students. I know this for a fact: buy a student a meal and you’ve got a lifelong friend.

Of course, it doesn’t stop at colleges. What school wouldn’t welcome the help of a willing senior to come into the classroom to lend a hand. Sure, you’ll have to get a special clearance from the district, but that shouldn’t take much time and effort on your part. Some seniors who I know love to volunteer at their grandchild’s school while others think it’s a better idea to give them some space and they help out at their neighborhood school.

A good friend of mine who’s got 20 years on me comes out to California each year for three or four months to visit his daughter and to escape the icy Midwest winters.

Two weeks into his first visit, he quickly discovered that sitting around the house wasn’t his strong suit and he knew that he needed to do something. So he drove downtown to the local food closet and volunteered his services. They immediately put him to work organizing the closet and he continued to work there each winter for the next 15 years until his health wouldn’t allow him to travel.

Not only did he thoroughly enjoy volunteering two or three days a week, but he also found himself with a whole new set of friends in a new town.

Many retirees don’t want to commit to any lengthy volunteer program and that’s understandable. They have plans and don’t want to be tied down.

That’s why single-day volunteer events work well for them. For instance, any senior would be more than welcome to join a team of walkers who are working to raise money in the battle against such diseases as cancer or diabetes. Practically every town in America has these sponsored events and they’re not only looking for people to walk, but to help out with registration, meals or on-course volunteers.

The lesson here is that if you’re retired and need something to do, you can always fine volunteer activities no matter if it’s your hometown or a distant location.

Jack Sirard is a retired nationally syndicated business writer and a senior writer for Senior Softball News.