Imagine being in a room with hundreds of dedicated volunteers who share heartfelt stories, laughter, and a passion for making a difference. It’s an inspiring experience! This December, we rolled out the red carpet to honor Seniors in Service volunteers at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Luncheons in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties. These events are the highlight of our year!
This year’s theme, “Our Ruby Celebration,” couldn’t have been more fitting as we marked our 40th anniversary as an organization. The ruby, a symbol of dedication, passion, devotion, and lasting impact, represents everything our volunteers embody. From helping children learn to supporting veterans, feeding hungry families, and being a light to lonely seniors, our volunteers have touched thousands of lives in our community. This year truly shines as one for the books with a record-breaking 1,921 volunteers serving across Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco Counties! In addition to good food and dancing, we treated the volunteers to heartfelt stories of how their service transforms lives.
Operation: Veteran Connect volunteer Janalee was joined by Bobbie, a Navy veteran who had struggled to get disability benefits for over 23 years. When Bobbie met Janalee, he was nearly homeless, and his health was failing. Now, thanks to Janalee’s support, he underwent a lifesaving procedure, found stable housing, returned to school, and is a straight-A student. Janalee shared, “Helping veterans is my way of honoring my father, a Marine veteran. The most rewarding thing is knowing he is looking down on me with pride.”
Senior Companion Irma Amador shared how she and her fellow volunteers cleared out their refrigerators and pooled their resources to cook a hot meal and care for their senior neighbors who lost power after the recent hurricanes.
The room erupted in cheers with each statement celebrating volunteers’ collective impact on the community…” Classroom Grandparents help 1,591 children learn to read!”… Volunteers dedicated 12,748 hours to feeding hungry families!”… Health Buddies brought moments of joy, support, and connection for 219 isolated seniors!”
CEO Robin Ingles closed the events by reminding us all, “Service to others is the antidote to loneliness, isolation, division, and disconnection. And we need more of it in the world. ” Check out the CEO Letter too. She’s sharing the same message with you.
We’re also deeply grateful to the hardworking volunteers from Faith Action Ministry Alliance, the students at Grant Park Christian Academy, Progressive, and the City of St. Petersburg’s Sunshine Senior Center for helping make these events unforgettable. Special thanks to the incredible sponsors who made our events possible:
