(From left) Audrey Ross, Linda Hudgens and Alice Mitchell, 2023 inductees into the Chesterfield County Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame (Photo courtesy Chesterfield County)
Few examples of the impact older adults can have on their communities stand out like their efforts in the volunteering landscape.
Countless services provided through churches, nonprofits, schools, businesses and other organizations are possible because of people offering their time and efforts free of charge. And while volunteerism isn’t limited to one age group, seniors do account for a significant portion of that unpaid workforce, says Alexa Van Aartrijk, Chesterfield County’s aging and disability services manager.
The formal volunteering rate among baby boomers is 23.7%, dropping to 18% in the silent generation (generally those born from 1928-45) and older, according to AmeriCorps, an independent government agency that collaborates with the U.S. Census Bureau to collect data on volunteering and civic engagement every two years. However, the study doesn’t quantify the hours those volunteers contribute.
“We couldn’t function without seniors in the world of volunteerism,” Van Aartrijk says. “If you walk into any volunteer landscape, you are going to see a lot of seniors in the room most of the time.”
Recognizing the role older residents play in the community is the purpose behind the county’s Senior Volunteer Hall of Fame, which has been honoring dedicated volunteers since starting in 1982. Inductees through the years have ranged from ages 60 to 98.
This summer, three new inductees — Linda Hudgens, Alice Mitchell and Audrey Ross — were selected from a group of 20 nominees for the 2023 Hall of Fame class. Since turning 60, the 20 nominees cumulatively have donated more than 180,000 hours of community service, Van Aartrijk says.
The three Chesterfield women volunteer in multiple ways. Hudgens started and serves as coordinator for the St. Matthias’ Episcopal Church food pantry, which provides 6,000 meals a month. Mitchell is a pillar of the Aging and Disability Services Telephone Reassurance Program, which supports connectivity for older adults. Ross conducts research on the history of African Americans in Midlothian and provides presentations to residents in the area.
It’s important to celebrate our volunteers and show how vital their contributions are for the community, Van Aartrijk says.
