Here at Leep, we love a feel-good volunteering story! Take Rita Bell. At 89 years young, volunteering (along with some line dancing on the side) is Rita’s secret to longevity.
Rita is solid proof that volunteering is as good for volunteers as it is for the people they help. Volunteering helps keep Rita’s mind active and her body going, so that she feels she’s staying young and healthy.
Rita’s strong work ethic was formed in the British and New Zealand Air Forces. She brought this to volunteering, first with Crime Stoppers and St Johns Ambulance Service, and now on the night shift at Schoolies Week. For one week each year, for the last five years, Rita has made a four hour round trip to help teenagers safely get through Schoolies Week.
“I started volunteering because I just enjoy it so much,” she says. While she may volunteer for the joy it brings her, she also feels that her efforts don’t go unnoticed. Teenagers may often get a bad wrap, but they are always grateful to volunteers like Rita, who help their week progress smoothly.
With her 90th birthday fast approaching, Rita maintains that she still has more years of volunteering ahead. Providing sage advice in this article from the ABC, Rita urges people looking to hold on to their youth, to lend a helping hand.