Baby boomers and senior residents volunteer in Dublin

September 30, 2016

12:00 AM

Mary Beth Smith, middle left, euchre moderator, with friends

It’s noon on a Wednesday at the Dublin Community Recreation Center. A handful of people are leaving the fitness area, likely heading to lunch after working up an appetite. But inside the DCRC’s Senior Lounge, different types of hunger are about to be satisfied. The hunger for camaraderie. The hunger for competition. The hunger for a game of cards.

“Are we ready to play?” Roberta O’Neal asks the others at her table. O’Neal’s voice is slightly weakened by 93 years of living, but her passion for competition is as strong as ever.

Welcome to the Bridge Club – a group of about 20 individuals who meet every Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. at the DCRC.

“I love the people here,” said O’Neal. “I’ve been playing this game since I was a teenager, but I love playing with the people here.”

People like O’Neal can anticipate meeting up with friends at the Bridge Club each week, thanks in part to the volunteer work of Peter Somani.

Mary Beth Smith considers her hand

Somani, a 78-year-old Dublin resident, says he started volunteering with the group 10 years ago and took over organizing the club full-time three years ago.

He says volunteering keeps him moving and that working with the Bridge Club in particular helps to keep his mind sharp.

“As we age, we have quite a bit of free time and we have to keep ourselves very active in doing something worthwhile,” Somani says. “Part of that is finding a way to challenge your mind, and that is why we love to play bridge. You challenge your mind, but on top of that, you get a chance to socialize.”

His wife, Kemlesh, joins him each week.

“We are impressed with the Dublin senior programs and the volunteer work that others do,” Somani says. “It’s fulfilling to all of us. We love living here.”

Bridge isn’t the only card game that takes place inside the Senior Lounge. Dozens of seniors gather weekly for games of euchre.

Mary Beth Smith, a retired Dublin Coffman High School math teacher, volunteers as moderator.

“I like people,” Smith says. “So when I retired from school, I wanted to find a place where I could be with people.”

The bridge club meets for a game

Smith says she spends about 20 hours each month volunteering in various forms. She even uses her math skills to do volunteer tutoring with Columbus City Schools.

“There’s so much out there for you to learn,” she said. “If you don’t meet with people and don’t get out, you become stale.”

A healthy number of Dublin residents share Smith’s view.

The City of Dublin has an active database of 3,691 volunteers. These are registered volunteers who have donated their time in the past two years. Even though the average age of a Dublin volunteer is 36 years old, roughly 1,000 of those volunteers are from the baby-boom generation.

Dublin Volunteer Resources Administrator Christine Nardecchia says the numbers prove baby boomers are redefining volunteerism.

Roberta O'Neal

“Boomers are our activists. They sparked movements and trends. And retirement hasn’t changed that activist spirit in them to want to make a difference,” she says. “The key is impact. If they can see an impact their skills and passions will make, they will make it happen.”

Nardecchia says the Senior Lounge is a good fit for Smith and Somani because of their desire for socialization. But there are many other opportunities for Dublin’s older residents to make a positive impact on the community.

“The very best part about volunteering is that if a role doesn’t exist, we can create it. We are like match-makers of talent to need. If someone comes to us with a skill in something for which we have a need or that would enhance how we serve the community, we are encouraged to explore that,” Nardecchia says. “There are many visible ways seniors help through volunteerism. We have them out on bike paths as Dublin Bicycle Ambassadors, as community service officers, as instructors, researchers, etc. We know that doing things outside of one’s self is good for you, and we’ve known for many years that volunteerism is just as good for the giver as the receiver. It’s a dimension of wellness, and encouraging active involvement is a part of Dublin’s fabric.”

Peter Somani reveals his hand

Smith shares a similar outlook on the rewards of volunteerism. She wants others in the community, especially the baby boomers and seniors, to discover the joy she has found in serving others.

“I think it helps you stay young,” Smith says. “I think it helps you maintain a focus on the population rather than on yourself. It gives you a better focus on life.”

If you would like more information on volunteer opportunities with the City of Dublin, head to DublinOhioUSA.gov/volunteer.

Josh Poland is a public information officer with the City of Dublin. Feedback welcome at hbealer@cityscenecolumbus.com.