Verona Senior Center thanks volunteers, shares 2024 report and roles

The Verona Senior Center opened an appreciation event by introducing staff and thanking volunteers for their service, saying "Volunteers keep us afloat." The program manager (name not stated in the transcript) reported the center had 99 volunteers on its roster in 2024 and recorded 5,753 total volunteer hours; about 60 volunteers attended the event.

The manager highlighted volunteer retention and activity: 25 new volunteers joined in 2024 and 15 volunteers logged 100 or more hours. She gave an age and gender breakdown for volunteers, reporting 17 volunteers under age 50, 44 in the 70-to-79 range (the largest group), five between 80 and 89 and one volunteer in their 90s. She said the center's volunteer pool is 61 female and 31 male, and encouraged outreach to recruit more male volunteers.

The program manager cataloged specific roles volunteers fill on a regular basis, including kitchen assistants, dishwashers, meal packers, meal distribution and HDM bag-labeling, special-events assistants, Chronicle editors and deliverers, technology helpers ("club 108" volunteers), game hosts, plant caretakers, greeting card and loan-closet volunteers, library organizers, craft instructors and companionship volunteers who visit and sit with people. She specifically noted driver escorts who take people to medical appointments and home-delivered-meal drivers as crucial but often working off-site.

On the broader benefits of volunteering, the manager said research shows volunteering can boost self-confidence, reduce isolation and provide a sense of purpose. She closed by thanking attendees and inviting them to stay for root beer floats provided by staff.

The event ended with staff inviting volunteers to mingle and connect with program leaders for follow-up questions.