Retiree Report Comments: Volunteering

We would like to know more about the types of volunteer/service activities in which Cornell retirees are engaged. If you would like to share any details or stories about the kind(s) of volunteer work you are or have been doing as a retiree since May 2014, please do so here.

Cornell retiree volunteers are rarely engaged in just one volunteer activity. One of the most remarkable aspects of the stories shared by our retirees who volunteer is how diverse and varied the volunteer commitments of any given individual may be.

Note: Most of the following listings are categorized based on the first activity listed. Occasionally they are listed based on the activity described in most detail.

International Efforts

I volunteer in northern Costa Rica for at least two months each year helping to drill water wells for people who do not have potable water. My wife, also a retired CU employee, spends a lot of time writing for grant monies to support the efforts that we are involved with. We work with a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) out of Winter Park, FL.
I volunteered for four months in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. In Puerto Rico, I assisted FEMA by guiding Spanish-speaking persons to aid. I also work with a private school in Fort Myers, FL as a high school math tutor, and assist Florida Gulf Coast University with astronomy. My political interests are with the Florida House on issues of major concern for our local community.
I recently spent two and a half months in India volunteering in Kerala, in a school that was devastated by August, 2018 floods. I taught English, exercise, and dance classes.
My wife and I have taught English for Word of Life International's School for Youth Ministries for eight to nine weeks in South Korea, Taiwan, and Nicaragua for the past five years. We teach reading, writing, pronunciation, conversation, and a bible class. Students must speak English all the time. I also assisted in monthly sampling in a lake in Otsego County, saving Cornell staff a day's work (driving and sampling).
I am part of a group that makes 150 quilts a year (on average) for those in need around the world. I work with dairy farmers in Cayuga County to raise funds for sustainable agricultural programs for Mam people in Guatemala. I serve on the board for the Family Reading Partnership, supplying books and encouraging parents to read to children starting at birth.
I volunteer for two nonprofit organizations. Dining for Women is an international nonprofit that supports women and children in third world countries with health care, education, and micro- business ventures. Days for Girls is an international nonprofit that makes feminine hygiene kits that get distributed to poor and rural women and girls in many countries around the world. The purpose is to keep girls in school when they normally would have to stay home because they have no access to feminine hygiene products. Our kits are reusable and are given out in schools and health classes in third world countries.
I help fundraising efforts for Schools for Salone, an organization that builds schools in Sierre Leone. I am also a "super worker" volunteer with GreenStar, Ithaca's food co-op.
I do fundraising (as a board member) for Growing Community Roots, a small 501c3 agency that funds water catchment systems and sanitary systems for schools in western Kenya. We work with school superintendents and staff directly, as well as through Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). I also write proposals for funding for the Cincinnatus, NY New Ministries program for elders and rural poor, and participate on the HomeLand committee for the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondolet (in Latham, NY) which is active in global environmental issues. I am on the board of directors of the Iroquois Studies Association and involved in cultural preservation efforts.
I have provided enriched reading experiences for three students in Haiti. Two were or are enrolled in a degree program via Skype, and the third is not yet in the program. However, the status of the program itself is unclear.
I teach veterinary anesthesia and pain management in many countries. I also assist with new drug programs or special programs.
I reviewed proposals from professors conducting research at American universities who wanted to travel abroad to meet potential collaborators in Israel.
I helped in starting a new international graduate research university in another country. I serve on several committees (health and wellness, finance, and security/maintenance/community services) of a start-up Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC).
I am an active member of an international group looking to recover higher education from both organizational and pedagogical problems. Among the central problems my colleagues and I are working on are: bureaucratization and administrative bloat; Tayloristic organization in an era requiring the integration of knowledge and practice; confusing teaching with student learning; quantitative evaluation and ranking systems bearing no relationship to pedagogical efficacy or to the importance and value to society of the research being done; and undermining the civic mission of higher education.
I am on the CARE board and the Community Science Institute (CSI) board.

Food Security

My interest lies in helping students who are struggling financially. The food pantry that newly formed on campus is one area that desperately needs help as its current operations are not sustainable, but the need is great.
I helped with the new food pantry started on campus. My role was to assist with the pick-up of the donated food and the set-up of the pantry each week.
I work with organizations providing weekend food for students in need.
One of my volunteer activities is with the local food bank, distributing food to qualifying individuals and families.
I work at a local church food pantry and mobile food truck.
I volunteer at our community food cupboard one day a week.
I unpack and shelve food goods for the King Ferry Food Pantry.
I volunteer with Foodnet, church fundraisers, and am a past board member of the Cornell Retirees Association.
I enjoy being around other older people. I volunteered at Foodnet to serve lunch. Foodnet no longer offers the dining room lunch at Woodsedge; meals are taken to the rooms, so I don't do that anymore. And I really miss it. This type of volunteering is my choice.
I am a volunteer with my local food pantry assisting with set-up on distribution days. I also volunteer twice each week at the local high school fitness center, which is open to the community via membership before and after hours on weekdays and Saturdays. The fitness center is staffed by volunteers.
I volunteer with a food pantry and Love Living at Home—an organization that helps seniors age in place.
I serve on two nonprofit boards and participate in associated volunteer activities, including food security, and helping people with disabilities.
I am a food pantry volunteer, and am active in numerous church-related activities.
After I retired from Cornell, I wanted to get more involved in the Ithaca community. I've been volunteering at both Loaves and Fishes and the Ithaca Free Clinic.
I have been a Loaves and Fishes volunteer for six years, and am now on their board of directors. I also serve as secretary and membership coordinator for the Cornell Tennis Faculty Club, publicity coordinator for Dorothy Cotton Jubilee Singers and Women Singin' at Hospicare, and am a day volunteer for Women Swimmin'.
I provide transportation for persons needing it, food pantry assistance, and lawn care.

Housing, Support for the Homeless

I volunteer for Habit for Humanity and a county food pantry.
I construct sleeping bags for the homeless from used, donated materials.
I am involved with My Brother's Keeper, making sleeping bags for the homeless; community dinners in Dryden, helping serve and bake; and with the Catholic Charities Samaritan Center which recently opened in Dryden.
I volunteer with a group that makes sleeping bags for the homeless, based in Dryden, NY. We work with all used, donated materials. Most completed bags go to the Rescue Mission in Syracuse, NY, some to an outreach clinic in Ithaca, NY called REACH, and some to local churches or fire departments for distribution as needed. Started by a lone woman from Hopbottom, PA, the program has spread nationwide. Known as My Brother's Keeper Quilt Group, the Dryden group has distributed over 3,000 bags since the early 1990s.

Library, Literacy

I am a Friends of the Library Book Sale volunteer, and direct the Harmony Falls Chorus—a women's a cappella chorus that performs locally and also competes in barbershop singing contests.
I volunteer with the Friends of the Library, Lions, and Rotary.
With Tompkins Learning Partners, I helped a Burmese refugee with English so he could pass the citizenship examination. With the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library, I have been helping with the semi-annual book sale for the benefit of the Tompkins County Public Library, the Tompkins County public schools, and the Finger Lakes Library System.
I volunteer for the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library. I volunteer for many musical groups (Ithaca Concert Band, Ageless Jazz Band, Cortland Old Timers Band, Lansing High School musicals, etc.). I also participate in a citizen science project.
I help with the Friends of the Library Book Sale, and am a Lake Belle Taine, MN association aquatic invasive species inspector volunteer.
I volunteer with the Friends of the Tompkins County Public Library, The History Center, and Ithaca Children's Garden.
I volunteer for the NYC Public Library, teaching English for adults.
I was president of the Tompkins County Public Library Foundation Board. I also volunteered in the library's circulation department. Formerly the president of the board of Cinemapolis, I'm now co-leading a Cinemapolis committee with my Cornell-graduate son. I volunteer as a librarian in Cornell's Lab of Ornithology Adelson Library and work as a substitute for the Lab's Visitor Center front desk. In Sarasota, FL I am a co-vice president for the Cornell Club, organizing the monthly luncheons attended by 100 people.
I served on a community social committee and coordinated annual festivals, special events, and craft fairs. I volunteered at a library and worked with library patrons; took care of organizing and labeling books on hold for library patrons; and maintained library meeting/program schedules using computer software specific to library needs. I volunteered at The Green Chair Project, repurposing household items for families in need, and also worked various fundraisers as part of The Green Chair Project.
I started a book program for childcare facilities called Traveling Books. When it became hard for me to handle its size, I turned it over to the Family Reading Partnership (FRP). I continue to work for the FRP as one of my volunteer activities. I was also one of a group of people responsible for building the new library in Trumansburg and continue to do volunteer work there. I also teach Spanish to adults several mornings each week. I have also worked as a volunteer in the first and fourth grades at Trumansburg Elementary School.
I volunteer at a local library—answering computer questions for patrons and helping support their 3D printer.
I have served as president of the board of trustees of the local public library; given presentations to historical societies; created exhibits/displays at historical societies/museums; and provided historical research for individuals and organizations. I also did a raptor survey for the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation.
I am a trustee with the Monroe County Library System; member of the Rochester Selective Service Board #93; high school hockey coach; town political committee member; and Rochester Chamber of Commerce Workers' Compensation Committee member (since 1993), etc.
I do landscape work for the Groton Library for the "Friends," assist with the annual Groton Library book sale, and assemble kits for the Day for Girls.
I serve on the library book sale committee.
I assist a local public library system cataloging Japanese language materials. I also tutor primary school students, mostly Latino, in English language and reading.
I work at the Newfield Library (six hours/week), Boy Scouts (14 hours/month), and Tompkins County Amateur Radio Association Public Service (40 hours/year).
I've served on the boards of our local library and several other organizations, and on the advisory board of The History Center. I'm active in our local Rotary Club, raising money for local and international causes and setting up a grant program. I recently obtained Rotary and other funding to recruit volunteers to clean up and replant a section of the entrance to our village with flowering trees. I also volunteer at our local re-use shop.
I am a volunteer librarian with the Southern Tier Libraries, art gallery/gift shop volunteer for ARC of Schuyler County, and actor for the Golden Age of Radio and Old Havana Courthouse Theatre.
I've worked with a literacy organization in Ithaca, teaching both English as a Second Language (ESL) and basic reading and writing to English speakers, who either did not attend school or, in many cases, had a learning disability that was not addressed. I went for further training and began working to train new tutors for the organization. I also have volunteered to play the piano for voice students who cannot afford to hire an accompanist.
I serve with Literacy Volunteers, church, and Habitat for Humanity.
I serve as an ESL tutor with Tompkins Learning Partners. I also volunteer once a week with Loaves and Fishes, working on dinner prep.
I am just beginning to help Tompkins Learning Partners.
I do tutoring.

Volunteering in Schools, Working with/Supporting Children

I am the coordinator of a program in which volunteers mentor high school students. The students are first generation, primarily Latino students, who are seeking post high-school educational opportunities. I've also served as a mentor for five students in this program. I am active in the local American Association of University Women (AAUW) chapter and was chairperson of the annual fundraiser.
I volunteer once a week helping out in an Early Head Start classroom. I am also visiting an elderly person through the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Cortland County. For one summer, I assisted at a riding stable with a therapeutic riding program for handicapped children.
I volunteer at my daughter's first grade class once a week, teaching the children various children's or Appalachian songs. In the spring and fall, I become "Farmer John" for my wife's first grade class, helping them plant, tend, and harvest a garden on the Ithaca City School District grounds. Following Hurricane Maria, I went to Puerto Rico to help rebuild roofs.
I volunteer at youth events for the Abbey Museum of Art and Archaeology, and for youth events, school programs, and visitor services for the Queensland Museum.
I tutor economically disadvantaged youth, volunteer in the classroom at a grade school, and manage a bookstore at a local library.
I work with the Golden Opportunity program for tutoring and mentoring low-income children in the Ithaca City School District.
I volunteer at a local elementary school in a first grade classroom. I provide support to the students by encouraging their reading practices.
I do middle school presentations to add interest and activities to class social studies programs; create programs and exhibits for local history organizations; manage a textile collection at The History Center; participate/volunteer with the Tompkins County Quilt Guild and for other organizations; and am the American Quilt Study Group program chair.
For the past five years, I have volunteered at Enfield Elementary and Belle Sherman Elementary. I have worked with the same teacher for all five years. I volunteer two days a week for the entire school day. It has been a wonderful experience. I really enjoy working with the students and their teacher. I have a Master's Degree in curriculum and instruction from Cornell and was a teacher before I worked at Cornell in Library Access Services. It's been nice to continue to work with students during my retirement.
I drive parents and public school students to meetings at their schools. I also serve on a church committee that screens Cornell graduate students for grants for international hunger projects.
I have a personal collection of rocks and oddities that I like showing and discussing with all ages (K-adult), but mostly kids. Groups of seven to twelve students work best. I volunteer often in Cornell classrooms, sometimes in local schools. Also, I have served as an ad hoc curator for Cornell's Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences for 40 years.
I volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters—I was a big sister for three years; Planned Parenthood—tabling and political activity; Dryden Democrats—worked on midterm elections; Cornell Prison Education Program; and women's marches.
I provide book delivery for the Family Reading Partnership bookshelves, and facilitate a group at church.
I volunteer with Kids to DEC Environmental Camps—raising money for sending kids to five different DEC camps in New York State. I also work with the Salvation Army and do bell ringing at Christmas time.
Mainly I've been helping my friend with her 4-H Urban Outreach program in Ithaca. We work with immigrant youth from Burma, but there are some other minority youth as well. I drive a van to various events and activities, help teach reading, pay for events, and buy food and supplies for the kids. I also serve on the Town of Enfield Planning Board.
Each year I teach sixth grade students at the County Conservation field days—it usually involves two counties with around 30 classes.
I gave lectures in biotechnology to high school students in California.
I have aided in youth sports programs as a coach.
I volunteer at a local thrift shop and also teach crafts at school for kids to make for the holidays.
I helped with an edible school yard program teaching elementary school children to cook.
I helped sew costumes for an Ithaca High School theater performance. My wife and I are planning to be trained to facilitate the NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Family-to- Family class.
My volunteering includes: tutoring, Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), religious education, and church work.
I have continued my involvement with youth sports, mostly as a coach.
After my retirement from Cornell in 1999, I moved to Ocracoke Island, NC where I worked full- time for ten years for friends with a retail business. Since then, I have been co-managing a thriving thrift shop (entirely staffed by volunteers), which is an ongoing fundraiser for our local youth center.
I volunteer with Family and Children's Services.
I am an announcer for the Racker Centers' hockey fundraiser.

Educational and Support Services for Adults, Newcomers, Refugees, etc.

I've worked as an "energy navigator" with a program called Get Your Greenback at Tompkins County Cooperative Extension. The program helps homeowners assess their homes for energy efficiency and directs them to resources that are available for things like insulation/weatherization, solar power options, efficient appliances, LED bulbs, etc. I help someone I had worked with through the English as a Second Language program at Tompkins Learning Partners. I joined the democratic committee from Fall Creek's 5th ward.
I am the interpreter liaison for Ithaca Welcomes Refugees, and serve as French interpreter, driver, etc. I am on the board of Ithaca City of Asylum, and serve as treasurer.
My volunteer work includes: creating a welcoming environment for immigrants; doing policy work related to agricultural leadership and human resources; serving at Presbytery of Geneva and First Presbyterian Church of Seneca Falls; acting as docent at the Seward House Museum; working on the Hillary Clinton campaign in North Carolina; and serving on the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council.
I started to teach Tai Chi as part of the Taoist Tai Chi Society when I was working at Cornell. I taught some classes as part of the fitness program. When I retired, got married, and moved to North Carolina, I started a branch there and it has over 300 members now. We teach Tai Chi strictly for the health benefits. Most of my students are retired seniors since I teach in the daytime. We also have evening classes that young working people attend.
I spend time organizing public education programs on topics of interest to the community, helping to register voters, and providing transportation for folks who need it.
I tutor a refugee in English as a Second Language, and I co-facilitate monthly support group meetings for caregivers of individuals living with Alzheimer's disease.
I work with programs to teach immigrants from Mexico and the Americas.
I teach a course on memoir at the Auburn Correctional Facility, and serve on the board of trustees of the Tompkins County Public Library and the board of trustees of the Collegiate School in New York City.

Faith Based

Mostly I've volunteered in working with and teaching children aged three to five, one night a week during the elementary education school year, and then five days during mid-July, in relation to a faith-based organization. I've been part of a multi-church choir for the last seven years. We meet one night a week from late September until we perform three concerts in early December. I've assisted with elder care for my late mother-in-law both in her own apartment, then in an assisted-living facility, and finally in a nursing home setting.
I teach Sunday school.
I've been part of a faith-based community choir for at least the last seven or eight years, during the fall. I've also volunteered at my church for Awana Cubbies, Vacation Bible School, and have done some Sunday school teaching.
At my church, I volunteer as a child caretaker for children aged two to four. In the past, I have directed Easter plays and written/re-written said plays. I have also manned carnival-type games for kids on the weekend preceding Halloween at Conway Park. Currently, I'm involved in a new community outreach leadership group. Family Connections in Cortland is the adoption agency that helped my husband and me with the process 11 years ago. Last November, I was asked to serve as a member of the board.
I provide technology support for internet radio for a listener-supported Christian-based radio program from Bath, NY. I also do church volunteer work in a church leadership role.
I am in a sewing group at my church, making vestments, banners, etc. for the church, as well as baby quilts for a local organization that helps women with unplanned pregnancies, and lap quilts for our homebound or nursing home parishioners.
I serve on the Temple Beth El Arts Committee, tutor at Temple Beth El Religious School, volunteer for the 211 Information and Referral Center, and do private editing.
I led adult education events at a United Methodist Church in Gig Harbor, WA.
I am a member of our church's Building and Grounds (B&G) Committee and also a member of their Home Repair Ministry (HRM). B&G meets monthly and deals with maintenance and long- term planning issues for the church. Under HRM, I typically handle two weeks of phone calls on their "hot line" every three months, sometimes volunteering with other members in responding to requests for help. I am also an emeritus member of the American Institute of Architects and will occasionally volunteer my time when the local chapter runs events involving the general public or prospective architectural students. One such recent event was ImagineRIT, where I was one of several architects representing the profession to prospective students.
I served as chair of the Adult Education Committee in my church, as president of my PEO (Philanthropic Education Organization), and as a member of the American Association of University Women.
I have been active with the Ellis Hollow Community Center and our church, Bethel Grove Bible Church.
I serve on several church boards, lead a worship music group, and write worship music.
I am active with the PEO at the Congregational Church, Southern Tier Chorus, and Howland Stone Store Museum.
I perform facilities maintenance at church.
I work on church history and do workshops for math teachers.
My volunteer roles include: church leadership, scholar athlete recognition, nonprofit leadership, and community leadership.
I work in the SUNY Cortland Protestant Minister's Office.
I volunteered to help with the community dinner at our local church. I also volunteered on the board of directors for an arts organization as well as helped with a gallery—hanging art and at the opening reception.
In 2014 I was 80 years old, so my participation was minimal. I volunteered driving patients and serving on church and other committees.
I volunteer at local missions.
I volunteer at the Salvation Army as a holiday bell ringer and for 50+ years at my church.
I raise money for the Salvation Army.
I am a bell ringer for the Salvation Army's Red Kettle Campaign.

Healthcare, Hospice, Emotional Support

I volunteered as a receptionist at the Cancer Resource Center of the Finger Lakes for three years. I volunteer two days a week at Cayuga Medical Center—at the Radiation Oncology Center where I process medical records, and at the Outpatient Lab. I taught one course at Lifelong and gave one lecture in an occupational therapy course at Ithaca College.
Most of my volunteer work since retirement in 2009 has been a continuation from my work days: Community Foundation, American Cancer Society, and various women's groups. However, I now spend at least one day a week at Cayuga Medical Center in Endoscopy and Same Day Surgery helping with patient records and patient transport. I'm also "on call" in Oncology and for transport of patients to Rochester or Syracuse. Also, I provide part-time daycare for a child of two Cornell faculty from Italy.
My volunteer efforts include fundraising for heart disease and auto-immune disease research at the Masonic Medical Research Institution in Utica, NY, local student scholarships, other community services, and environmental quality improvement.
I volunteered at Cayuga Medical Center, participating in a special project which involved students interested in working in the medical field. I also volunteered assisting with blood drives and flu shots for students.
For 25 years, I served as a board member and chairman of the Rotary District Gift of Life Program which provides open heart surgery for children from developing countries. Currently we are sending medical missions to accomplish this. As an active volunteer fireman for 50 years, I serve as a public information officer for the Riverhead Fire Department. With my experiences with the Riverhead Rotary Club and Cornell Cooperative Extension, I have been able to be involved in many programs and fundraising activities in the community.
I deliver mail to persons in the Health Care Center associated with the First Community Village in Columbus, OH where we are residents in an independent living community.
I am a board member of the Tompkins County Visiting Nurse Service. I am also an events coordinator for the Nurse Practitioner Group in Tompkins/Cortland counties.
I assist Emergency Room staff with patients and their family members. I assist with some of the ER processes, making it easier for patients and staff. I also drove veteran patients to a VA center in Syracuse for their scheduled appointments and returned the veterans to their homes.
I volunteer for the Reading to Babies Program through the Family Reading Partnership and for Habitat for Humanity. I also serve as patient navigator for the American Cancer Society at Cayuga Medical Center (CMC) and Hospicare. I am a host for international students through the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) and host Thanksgiving dinners. I volunteer at Cayuga Medical Center in Endoscopy, assisting with patient records and wheelchair transport. I am a CMC Auxiliary Board member and a local garden club member. My favorite contribution to the community is picking flowers from my garden and donating them to various departments at CMC and Hospicare.
I volunteer at Hospicare and Tompkins County Public Library (TCPL). I am also a housing activist.
I serve as a Hospicare board member, volunteer, and do event coordination.
My volunteering includes: helping the Cancer Resource Center distribute posters, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, and driving people to vote.

Older Adults

I do free tax preparation for elderly and low-income households through the tax assistance program at Lifelong.
I have volunteered each tax season since retirement with the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program at Alternatives Federal Credit Union. I became a trustee for the Village of Cayuga Heights in the spring of 2014 and became mayor (paid, sort of) in June of 2016.
I do income tax preparation at Lifelong and Alternatives Federal Credit Union, and Medicare counseling with the Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) at Lifelong.
I provide VITA tax service.
I volunteer with VITA at Alternatives Federal Credit Union.
I started as a volunteer with the IRS VITA site at Alternatives Federal Credit Union. After a couple of years, I was hired as a part-time assistant coordinator, and work annually for three months during the tax season.
I am trained and certified as a NYS Medicare/Medicaid counselor. I spend one day a week at Lifelong helping clients sign up for Medicare, choose plans, change plans, and evaluate their eligibility for Medicare Savings Programs or Medicaid. I co-developed and present seminars that help soon-to-be or recently-retired individuals identify, set, and achieve non-financial retirement goals. I volunteered for the Catholic Charities Refugee Resettlement Program. I developed cultural adjustment training modules and held a train-the-trainer session for Ithaca Welcomes Refugees volunteers.
I volunteer with the Senior Community Chorus (out of Ithaca, with members from surrounding communities). We were formed at the Senior Center/Lifelong, and now are on our own with a practice site at the Salvation Army. We sing at nursing homes in our area, once a week. Our schedule includes a spring program, fall program, and December Christmas program. We have a marvelous director, a piano accompanist, and a guitar accompanist. The entertainment for nursing homes proves to be ultra-stimulating for the residents as we sing familiar songs—and it makes them truly "come alive." (There is a documentary film—Alive Inside—that documents this fact. It was made at Ithaca College's Gerontology Department and is a very revealing film.) I also volunteer at the SPCA of Tompkins County—I work in the cat wing of the Adoption Center. We socialize with the kittens to help them become more friendly and adoptable, care for them, and help guide potential adopters when they are searching for a pet. It is very rewarding to see homeless cats get a good loving home.
I sing with a senior chorus that goes to nursing homes to perform. I also am part of a Lifelong dance group that gathers once a week for socializing and some exercise. I have taken care of getting this group together and have done so for many years. Music is a great stimulation for older people and should be implemented more into their potential activities. I volunteer with the SPCA of Tompkins County in several capacities: coordinating communication with recent feline adopters and sewing gear for animals at the shelter. I also volunteer with the United Way of Tompkins County (audit pledge card information), Cancer Resource Center (do data entry), and Love Living at Home (produce monthly reports from their computer system).
I served as a greeter for Lifelong's Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program. I am working toward becoming a certified counselor for their Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP).
I have taught needlework at Lifelong and GIAC (Greater Ithaca Activities Center).
I perform eldercare music group therapy.
I play piano twice a week at the Bridges senior care facility.
I am on the advisory board of the County Office for the Aging, audit committee of several organizations, and church council and related committees.
I am a volunteer visitor at area nursing homes and am on the board of McGraw House.
I serve on the development committee and board of Love Living at Home. I am program chair and on the board of the Campus Club.
I am an Ithaca Rotary volunteer and also volunteer in the Long Term Care Nursing Home Ombudsman program from the Tompkins County Office of the Aging.
I serve as a long term care ombudsman.

Animals (Birds, Insects….)

I volunteer at the Tompkins County SPCA every week, helping with the low-cost spay-neuter program. I also helped to get out the vote in the 2016 election—calling voters and writing letters. I am a visitor to several people in nursing homes.
I volunteer at the SPCA. I am a "feline friend," help with follow-up calls after adoptions, and hope to soon also foster kittens. I am also in the process of becoming a volunteer for Love Living at Home.
I do dog walking at the SPCA.
I judge American Kennel Club (AKC)-licensed beagle field trials locally and in neighboring states; am the secretary/treasurer of a local sportsmen's club; live-trap and transfer cottontail rabbits and varying hare; and do New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC)- licensed activities for a local beagle club. I also represent our sportsmen's club at Tompkins County Federation of Sports-Persons Clubs; spend countless hours building brush piles and improving wildlife habitat on the beagle club's 162-acre facilities; and assist with NYSDEC hunter safety programs and AKC judges' seminars at our sportsmen's club. I also usher at our church— every other week (and have been doing this forever!).
I volunteer at the Museum of the Earth, Tompkins County SPCA, and Golden Retriever Rescue of Central New York. I also interview Health Careers Evaluation Committee (HCEC) candidates for the Cornell Career Services.
I have volunteered with the SPCA (animal care, rabies vaccination events), Lifelong (record keeping), CRVIS (assisting a first grade teacher), and Foodnet (serve/cleanup at the Groton site).
I volunteer with Cornell Companions—my dog and I visited retirement communities, correctional facilities, libraries, festivals, Vet College open houses, day cares, Procrastinate at the Straight, etc. That dog is now gone, but I hope to become involved again when my current dog is ready.
I'm an active member of Cornell Companions, president of Golden Retriever Rescue of Central New York, and do technology/marketing and other volunteer opportunities for Danby Community Church.
I teach dog training to adults for the Ithaca Dog Training Club; teach dog training through the William George Agency in the Animal Assisted Therapy Program to student residents; help organize events at a local horse stable; volunteer in my church as secretary to the church council; and help with special music presentations and various other events.
I staffed the visitor's center at a local Audubon bird observatory; presented educational programs on birds to children and the community; edited a newsletter and led field trips for a local birding club; and wrote articles for a national birding organization.
I do bird banding for the U.S. Geological Survey.
I volunteer with the Cayuga Bird Club.
I help with the North American Breeding Bird Survey.
I am a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and do church work.
I do free parasitology checks on wildlife at the local wildlife rehab center; I lead a weekly international folk dance group at our home; I lead and teach monthly Dances of Universal Peace at the local UU (Unitarian Universalist Church); I volunteer as the booker for the local contra dance group.
I consult with animal shelters; continue to make national presentations voluntarily; taught fourth graders about animal welfare; and do fundraising activities for our church.
I volunteer each week at Willow's Wings, a sanctuary for old, sick, or disabled animals. I have taught adult education classes in screenwriting for Lyceum, a lifelong Learning Institute at Binghamton University.
I have been president of the local beekeeping club. Now I serve in an advisory capacity.
I volunteer at the Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Finger Lakes, a nonprofit, and serve as president and provide public education (powerpoint, displays, and direct consumer contact). Additional volunteer work includes: art and presentations programming at Lansing Community Library; serving as officer (director, then vice president) of Cayuga Bird Club; helping with public education; being a director and volunteer worker for Friends of Salt Point Inc. (Lansing, NY); doing offsite volunteer work for Tompkins County SPCA (feral cats); and working for various political campaigns and the Lansing Democratic Party. I also do educational presentations (powerpoint and displays) of bicycle history and travel destinations.
I volunteer with Wounded Warriors and SPCA.

Environment/Gardening

I am a board member and treasurer of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network; on the advisory board and chair of the website committee, International Association for Shell and Spatial Structures; and on the executive committee of West Shore Neighborhood Association, Ithaca.
I am engaged in environmental activism and local political events; monitored lake health; sat on a panel to discuss environmental issues with community members; volunteer with social programs through church; and do grant writing for the arts.
I am a member of Friends of Salt Point, built bird/nesting boxes, and do brush clean-up.
I have been serving on the Waterfront Area Working Group of the Ithaca City Comprehensive Plan Phase II and as a board member of the Ithaca Community Gardens and the Ithaca Substitutes Association pre- and post-retirement.
I have served 20+ years as a master gardener technician and instructor in the master gardener training program. Plus I have managed 75 acres of riparian forest on a salmon bearing stream.
I am a member of Friends of Fillmore Glen State Park and Moravia Area Garden Club.
I volunteer through the Sierra Club membership to work on trails in the National Forest Service and National Parks.
I've volunteered with the Stewart Park playground rebuild and regularly volunteer for the Finger Lakes Land Trust.
At Cornell Botanic Gardens, I do tours for third graders in the Mundy garden, activities before the wildflower tours, and classroom visits.
I am a guide at Cornell Botanic Gardens, chair of Dryden Conservation Board, and vice chair of Ithaca City Club. I have also assisted with the Alliance for Science Fellows visit to Washington, DC; served as a commentator for the GMO Answers organization; and worked for a local Democratic candidate for Congress.
I provide preserve maintenance for the Finger Lakes Land Trust and the Conservation Volunteer International Program.
I have been mostly doing nature education to the local and nearby communities and in India.
I founded a company for purchasing Adirondack forest land for a trust to ensure sustainable forestry in perpetuity.
I am doing aquatic insect identification for the Community Science Institute in Ithaca and stream sampling at Reeder Creek for the Seneca Lake Pure Waters Association.
I serve on a committee of, and have been on the board of, an environmental group. I sing in a church choir and chair its mission committee.
I contributed time and labor in garden beautification projects.
I do trash removal along woods and beaches in Cape May County, NJ (my home area).
I have volunteered with Cornell Cooperative Extension, Finger Lakes ReUse, and Cayuga Nature Center.
I am involved with a lake watershed association, a community organization that maintains a hiking trail, and a community chorus.
I am a member of the Dryden Beautification Brigade. We plant and take care of the flowers in the village. Recently we became a tree city. At the Lab of Ornithology, I work with other volunteers in the preparation of mail for membership gifts (premiums). Hundreds of pieces of mail are shipped weekly.
I started a farmers' market, bike rescue program, and Re-Tree the City program.
I serve on the board of the Community Garden and volunteered as a suicide helpline counselor.
I volunteer at Cornell's Dump & Run program.

Emergency Assistance

I volunteer with the American Red Cross.
I am a Red Cross local disaster, large scale disaster, and blood services volunteer, and State Theatre volunteer.
I work at Red Cross Bloodmobiles, community projects at Kendal, and with Cornell Companion animals.
I have just completed 21 quilts for kids in crisis. I call it the KIC's program. The quilts are blessed by our church pastor and given to our police chief for distribution.
I am active in my local fire department.
I serve as a volunteer firefighter and assistant race director for a local race.

Arts, Music, Theatre, Literary Engagement

I am an original member of the Ithaca Concert Band (and have been for 36 years) and have performed with local musical groups. I worked with an entomologist, building equipment for research. I also functioned as a practice patient in Ithaca College's physical therapy program (where I started as a patient).
I volunteer at the Homer Center for the Arts.
I served on a planning committee and then the board of the Dryden Area Intergenerational Band and Chorus, where people of all ages and musical abilities can participate in a stress-free musical experience, including six rehearsals and two concerts.
I like choral music and sing with a community chorus, chamber singers, and church choir. I participate in national and international choral performances. I also assist the church treasurer in money collection and banking.
I continue to sing in the Ithaca Community Chorus and the Barnstormers (a regional men's chorus). I am active in church activities at the local, regional, and statewide level. I do volunteer work with the Cayuga Chamber Orchestra.
I am treasurer of the Ageless Jazz Band (a group that I play in), and am publicity person and former president of the Ithaca Concert Band. I sing in the choir, read in church, and serve on the church financial committee. I am chair of the Cornell Hockey Coach's Club, a board member of the Cornell Hockey Association, and a member of the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee. I'm also on the Ithaca College Athletics Hall of Fame committee. This spring, I did play-by-play on ESPN+ for Cornell baseball games.
I am establishing a new performing (and other) arts organization.
I sing in the Threshold Choir for Hospicare.
I volunteer in rehab facilities that are treating clients who may or may not suffer from alcoholism and/or drug addiction. I speak to groups concerning a 12-step program of recovery. I provide live musical performances, primarily for seniors in retirement facilities or hospitals; provide live musical support, with others, during services each Sunday in my church; and also perform at the occasional community faith-based concerts.
I volunteer for the 1st Street Mosaic Project, as lead artist and organizer.
I am on a committee for the Community Foundation of Tompkins County, and have recently begun volunteering for the Community Arts Partnership. Now and then I do some writing or marketing for local musicians and the Community Foundation.
I usher at the Hangar Theatre and State Theatre, work two shifts a week at Loaves and Fishes, volunteer at the triathlon, and help with a local girls' volleyball club.
I serve as an usher for three of the theaters in town; work in the collector's corners and coordinate the veterinary book section at the Friends of the Library Book Sale; teach animal welfare to fourth grade classes at Fall Creek Elementary School; and am a House Fellow at Alice Cook House.

Historical Societies, History Projects, and Museums

I volunteer at the Rural Life Museum in King Ferry, NY. I'm the president of the board. The mission of the museum is "to collect, preserve, and interpret historical records of human activity in the Town of Genoa; to assist in the preservation of physical structures deemed to be of historical significance; to plan and implement celebrations of historical significance; and to publish information consistent with the above purposes." I am also the chair of the annual Wheat Harvest Festival, which is held the first weekend in August each year.
I served as assistant treasurer on the board of directors of the Eldridge Park Carousel Preservation Society, and started and ran a gift shop for the park. I still serve on Friends of the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp and am editing a book on Elmira during the Civil War.
I am a historian for the Town of Candor (an unpaid position), serve on the Candor Historical Society Board, and present historic talks at various venues. I am president/chairman of the local Write Now multi-genre writers' group (of published authors). I am also a member of the Candor American Legion Post 907 Women's Auxiliary.
I volunteer with the Richford Historical Society, Pipe Organ Historical Society, Golden Retriever Rescue, church choir, and food pantry.
For the past 25 years, I have been a Lincoln re-enactor, sharing Lincoln stories with many different adult audiences, and with school children. Each year some 18 different fourth grade classes visit Craven Hall (a restored colonial farmhouse; I am on its board) where they get to spend time with Mr. Lincoln. I live in a large (over 2,000 residents) retirement community. Two years ago, I restarted a monthly history program. We quickly outgrew our 50-seat classroom and now meet in a 300-seat auditorium. Thanks to the internet, we have had wonderful programs, ranging from the Roman occupation of Britain to our Founding Mothers (Martha, Abigail, and Dolly).
I live right outside the gates of Fort Riley, KS (an Army base). With multiple deployments for our soldiers, I decided to do a one-woman performance of Mamie Eisenhower for wives of the soldiers, focusing on Mamie's life as an Army wife. I include her years in the White House, also. I have entertained at the state-wide convention of the Federated Women's Clubs. I have gone to nursing homes as well as talked to home-schooled children. In retirement, I decided to re-invent myself by coming back as someone famous.
I do fundraising for the Howland Stone Store Museum Opendore project. Opendore was the home of Isabel Howland—suffragist and Cornell graduate.
I have given presentations at other colleges and universities and for high school upper-class students. I am a history ambassador for Tompkins County. I'm on the board of a community music group.
I perform volunteer work on the restoration of books, maps, and manuscripts. I work for The History Center and the Mount Savior Monastery in Elmira. I have also worked on teaching and consulting in Southeast Asia and Afghanistan and many other venues.
I designed and contracted a replacement steam boiler system for the Hagen History Center, a historic building in Erie, PA.
I volunteer at HistoryForge at The History Center.
I was involved with the Sciencenter, serving on the board of trustees in several capacities including vice-chair, chair, and past-chair.
I am a gallery host, and work dome shows and special events at the Fort Collins Museum of Discovery in Colorado. I am a member of my homeowners' association (HOA) board. I am a delegate at county and state Democratic conventions.
I am a Museum of the Earth volunteer and a land steward at Ithaca College.
At the Museum of the Earth, I volunteer as a docent and as an educator with KDT (Kids Discover the Trail) and other youth programs. At Loaves and Fishes, I worked in the kitchen for 15 years.

Town and Local Government, Service Organizations, and/or Civic Associations

I am a member of the West Danby Community Association.
Basically, I have been and/or am currently involved in local planning, environmental, social action, and human service projects and initiatives, with the following organizations: Brooktondale Community Center (board/treasurer); Caroline Seniors (treasurer); Caroline Pantry Committee; Solar Tompkins/Heat Smart (board); Friendship Donations Network (facilities officer); Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County (vice president of board, environmental committee, facilities committee, finance committee); Cornell University Assembly (environmental, Cornell planning committee); Town of Dryden Planning Board (vice chair); Cornell Southeast Asia Program (executive committee, Kahin Center faculty building coordinator); American Institute for Indonesian Studies (board/treasurer, based in Ithaca); Dryden Democratic Committee; and Tompkins County Democratic Committee.
I serve as chair, Dryden Planning Board; treasurer and trustee, Dryden Town Historical Society; and member, Dryden Rail Trail Task Force.
I am an alderperson, City of Ithaca Common Council.
I volunteer on the Lansing events committee in my town. We put on events for the community.
I am a board member of the Friendship Donations Network and the Town of Ithaca Zoning Board of Appeals.
I am the chair of a local planning board. I volunteer at a drug and alcohol counseling facility and I'm also an emergency disaster services volunteer.
I do community board work including reviewing and making decisions on funding local programs.
I serve on several boards: village planning board, town zoning board of appeals, and church board of trustees.
I am a village trustee.
I am a town planning board member/chair and volunteer with activities related to this function.
I am a webmaster for a town government and a town historian.
I serve on two boards in my town and support highway cleanup with scouts via a local service organization (Lions Club).
I volunteer with Lions Club International.
I volunteer with the Lioness Club of Newfield, with master gardeners, and on the beautification committee for Newfield.
I am a member of the Groton Legion.
I volunteer for various Rotary activities.
I am a member of the Latino Civic Association of Tompkins County. I volunteer to help with various activities/events such as the annual picnic in Stewart Park and the annual Christmas party. I also help a senior citizen (who is 96 years old) by taking her to all her doctors’ appointments, shopping, picking up her medicines, going out to dinner, and various home chores.
I serve on a Town of Ithaca committee.
I am a volunteer member of STEPS (Seneca Towns Engaging People for Solutions); project manager for Solar Seneca—New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) grant advocating for transition to solar power; Village of Interlaken Trustee; Deputy Mayor and Water Commissioner; and facilitator for Consumer Reports on Sustainable Cuisine or the Benefits of Eating Locally Produced Food.
I am on the Ithaca Festival board and help organize the Ithaca Festival Parade. I volunteer with the Southern Tier AIDS Program (STAP) Aids Ride for Life. I also serve on the organizing committee for the Words Into Deeds youth empowerment program.
I helped plan a community festival.
I volunteer with many local community organizations—village, town, and county.
My community (in Abergavenny, Wales, UK) runs a monthly meal for which the preparation and cooking labor is voluntary. Attendees pay for the meal, and any profits go to a different charity each month. I have, on several occasions, been the principal "chef" for the meal, and on more occasions have helped with food preparation.
I volunteer with the United Way.

Board Membership and/or Advising

I serve as a board member on the Child Development Council, Community Foundation, and United Way. I am also a member and president of the Kendal Resident Council.
Following a long period on the board of the Child Development Council of Tompkins County prior to retirement, I've continued to serve on the board's finance committee. I have a long history of membership on the board of the Human Services committee ending last December 31. I have been a board member of Finger Lakes ReUse since 2015, serving on the finance committee and on the development committee. I have been a longtime member of the County and Town of Ithaca Democratic Committees.
I am on the State Theatre of Ithaca Board and the State Theatre Foundation Board.
I have served on the board of the Sciencenter and headed the search committee for the new director. I've also served on the board of directors for WSKG, including two years as chair. I also serve on several committees for the United Way, including being an emeritus board member. Finally, in retirement I am making short videos of Cornell faculty research which are posted on CornellCast, YouTube, and on various academic journal sites. I still advise students, including freshmen biology majors.
I am on the TC3 Foundation Board, Cayuga Health System Board, Legacy Foundation, and volunteer at various community and church events.
I am a member of a community arts board, a community theater board, a church endowment board, an emeritus college executive committee, and a university advisory board.
I serve on four boards of directors—two as president. I volunteer at the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and with FFA.
I retired from the board of the Community Foundation of Tompkins County and presently serve at Longview (senior housing/assisted living facility—board member); William George Agency (children's residential program—board member/president); and the Beta Theta Pi Foundation (Greek organization—board member).
I serve on the Cornell planning committee, town planning board, community center board, food pantry board, educational and charitable foundation board, and Cornell Cooperative Extension board.
I volunteer on the school board, farm museum board, and CAP agency board. I also volunteer for the Presbyterian Church—for the local session (governing board), and provide regional help and advisory support. I am also a local food cupboard coordinator, serve on the Southern Tier Food Bank advisory committee, and volunteer for local civic groups.
I serve as a university trustee at another institution and chair a board of an organization.
I am serving as the treasurer of two local 501c3 organizations.
I am a volunteer officer of a national nonprofit educational organization.
I am a board member for a community organization and a treasurer for a community organization.
I am a board and committee member.
I continue to write and participate in classes and on panels, and help not-for-profit organizations with financial and governance issues.
I have helped not-for-profit organizations increase their capacity to deliver services.
I assisted the local state university in assessing their business college's readiness to offer a hospitality program. I worked with my church in technology-related initiatives that updated their educational materials to multimedia standards.

Political, Social Justice

I have been a member of the Town of Dryden Democratic Committee, a part of the Tompkins County Democratic Committee, for many years. Currently I am president of the Ithaca branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), a national organization that promotes education and equity for women and girls.
I am doing research on various agricultural-related issues for Tracy Mitrano's campaign. I am coding the information from old Sanborn Fire Insurance maps to go with the census data being entered by other volunteers for the HistoryForge project out of The History Center. I am doing research to identify volunteering recruitment prospects for the Red Cross. I staff the registration point for Red Cross blood drives.
I am active on my county Democratic Committee, on the State Democratic Committee, and at the Democratic Rural Conference. I served as a delegate for Bernie Sanders in the 2016 election and started a chapter of the New York Progressive Action Network. I'm a member of several other activist organizations, church secretary, and I've participated in a citizen science stream monitoring program.
I volunteer for Tracy Mitrano's Congressional campaign and the Tompkins County Workers’ Center. I review manuscripts for various social science journals and for the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Peru (PUCP) and give lectures to students in a Master's program at PUCP.
I am an administrator for Action Together Florida—a 9,000-member statewide political action Facebook group—sharing information about progressive calls to actions and events in Florida.
I work to house homeless community members and to elect progressive House representatives in our congressional district. I also work on local political matters (e.g. to elect council members with progressive agendas).
I do volunteer work in the Ithaca local group (Group No. 73) of Amnesty International, a world- wide human-rights organization. In 2017-2018 the Lehman Alternatives Community School had a course on human rights and they asked me to teach a number of classes.
I work with a racial justice organization.
I have been an officer of a party committee for almost as long as I have lived in Ithaca. I am also involved in local government, but it is paid, not volunteer work.
I participated in an organization whose goal is to promote community engagement and conversations about political and social issues affecting local communities as well as national- level policies. I also volunteer for a local nature center and for a local group that promotes the use of alternative materials to plastic.
I have been in service and/or leadership roles in the Tompkins County Workers Center, Golden Opportunity, church committees and projects, and political campaigns.

Residents' Associations, Alumni Societies, Interest Group Leaders

I serve as president, Kendal at Ithaca Residents' Association, and track official, Finger Lakes Runners' Club.
I volunteer with a homeowners association.
I am serving on homeowners association committees (newsletter and finance), and was recruited for and mentoring a group in adult education classes at local churches on ministry and theology sponsored by the School of Theology, Tennessee. Mentor training is necessary every 18 months for this four-year program.
I am an activity director for HOG (Harley Owners Group). I am interested in volunteering for Cornell's graduation activities, but since retiring, I have been traveling at this time.
I'm interested in auto racing and sports cars. Therefore, I volunteered my time working as a flag marshal and corner worker at Watkins Glen International raceway. This service provides a degree of track safety for drivers and spectators. In addition, I still maintain a membership in a professional trade organization (AVIXA) where I help advise on audio visual technology and help write test content for professional certifications.
I continue to be the corporation president of Acacia Fraternity (since first elected in 1982).
I work on alumni social activities for my undergraduate university (class of '57). I organize football watch gatherings for local alumni of my undergraduate university. I am documenting the history of academic program development for the first university I worked at. I am beginning to document the modern history of my former department at Cornell.
I was director of a women's leadership program, which entailed mentoring, planning conferences and retreats, speaking, and travel around the U.S. for training meetings.
I organized golf tournaments as well as helped or headed up committees organizing meals at the golf course. I am currently serving as vice president on the board of directors at the golf course.

Teaching and Supporting Students and the Cornell Community

I continued to serve on a Cornell University committee on which I first served when I was an actively-employed member of the faculty. I served as a mentor/member of a student's graduate committee. I also assisted in research projects of colleagues who were still actively employed. I have served as a co-author on a number of peer-reviewed publications that resulted from these post-retirement research efforts. I have also continued to attend several of the professional scientific meetings in which I routinely participated when I was actively employed. I represented Cornell at these meetings by making scientific presentations and serving as the chair of scientific sessions at these meetings.
I still advise students (including freshmen), do research, participate in the Faculty Senate, serve on committees, and make short videos of faculty research. Outside of Cornell, I just retired as chair of the board of trustees of WSKG, serve on various committees of the United Way, and am an advisory board member of the Sciencenter.
I am mentoring and teaching dermatopathology to residents in dermatology at the College of Veterinary Medicine. I sing in the choir and volunteer on the welcoming committee at church.
I continue to keep in touch with my students and I'm a faculty fellow. I frequently have dinner with students and believe I am a good mentor. I also keep writing letters of recommendation.
I help undergraduates with research projects involving domestic animals. I see behavior cases for pets of students and as a substitute at the veterinary hospital.