9 months ago, Mathew reached out to Serving Seniors to volunteer in his free time outside of working full-time as a caregiver. Today, Mathew is a face you’ll see at least twice a week at the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center participating in activities and having fun with the seniors.
“I think it was fate for me to volunteer here.”
Mathew decided to volunteer with seniors because of the close relationship with his grandmother who raised him. All the empathy and compassion that he has is because of her, and he wants to give that love to others. He describes how seniors tend to be left out, especially low-income and homeless seniors who don’t have a support system. Mathew hopes to be that for them.
His favorite activity to host is bingo because the seniors are always excited to see him. They tell him it brightens their day.
Mathew feels honored that they enjoy having him around as much as he enjoys being around them. “His favorite part of volunteering is connecting with seniors and learning about them because everyone is so diverse. Mathew says, “Intergenerational connection is important because younger people tend to have a lot of stigmas about the process of aging.” But being here, he has learned about the beauty of aging and the importance of enjoying each day. "It's just a joy to come here and volunteer and be a part of their lives."
Mathew recounts one of his most memorable moments was attending last year’s Sunshine Gala. It was his first gala, and he was amazed to see all of the people that came together to support the same mission that he is also passionate about.
Volunteering at Serving Seniors inspires Mathew to continue to give back and he encourages everyone to also volunteer.“ Here, people get the work done for the seniors to enjoy and it’s amazing to see that my work is well-reciprocated and cherished.”
Mathew’s dedication has not gone unnoticed. For over 20 years, we have had the good fortune of working alongside Fred whose exemplary, extraordinary, and caring spirit embodies all the great qualities of our volunteers: compassion, sincerity, integrity, commitment, dependability, and joy. Two years ago, we launched a new tradition by naming our Volunteer of the Year award after Fred and his living legacy. This past Saturday, Mathew was awarded the Fred Davis Volunteer of the Year Award at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Event.
Congratulations, Mathew!
