Summit County Seniors

Volunteering is an important part of our Seniors program. The array of service opportunities is broad and includes reading to preschoolers, helping at community theaters, Forest Service trail and office work, Red Cross support, staffing a community Thrift Shop or an Information Center, helping at the Medical Center or Animal Shelter and much, much more. There are community volunteer opportunities for whatever interest you may have.

If a contact phone number is not listed for particular activity, for additional information just call the Senior Center office at 970-668-2940.

Hug-A-Bear
Hug a Bear is a community program funded by seniors with the assistance of a local bank. Stuffed bears are distributed to emergency service organizations throughout the county. These bears are then given to children in traumatic situations to ease the pain and fear that accompanies such events. Over 200 bears were given to children in 2003.

Information Centers Staffing
The Summit County Seniors staff the two Visitor Information Centers in Frisco and Silverthorne every Sunday on a year-round schedule. Funds earned from this activity help to support Senior programs. If you are interested in helping staff one of the information centers, please contact the Senior Center office.

Outreach Committee
The Outreach Committee provides rides for medical appointments, help with shopping and cleaning, hospital visitations and other needed services. Volunteers find this service both enjoyable and rewarding. If you would like to volunteer or if you know someone who needs some kind of help, please let the committee know. Just call the Senior Center office at 970-668-2940 and they will inform a committee chair, Karen Fox or Joan De Graaff, or you may email Joan directly at jdg@colorado.net.

Quilting
Join with others to make quilts to be donated to local charities and to any person in need of comfort. Just come when you can and cut, sew or quilt with donated fabrics. Bring your lunch, sewing machine and cutting implements. Check the Newsletter or contact the Senior Center office at 970-668-2940 for meeting times and location.

Community Center Receptionist
The smooth running of the Senior and Community Center is due in part to the expertise of our Senior volunteer receptionists. This fun, valuable position is run by Senior volunteers. Training is provided for each volunteer receptionist so they can assist with phone answering, meeting and assisting the public and managing the front desk. Volunteers are scheduled for two-hour sessions on weekdays. If you are interested in supporting the efforts of the Senior Center as a receptionist, please call the Center office at 970-668-2940.

RSVP
The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program helps people age 55 and older put their skills and life experience to work in their communities. There are a wide range of RSVP volunteer opportunities including mentoring, reading at pre-schools, library assistance, environmental awareness, community outreach and many more.

Time commitment depends on the job to be performed and the working arrangements made between the volunteer and the organization/agency. Currently there are 200 volunteers serving 29 sites.

Staff at the Senior Center will be happy to help line you up with volunteer opportunities based on your interests. Call them at 970-668-2940.

Rummage Sale
An annual rummage sale is sponsored by the Summit County Seniors. Traditionally this activity occurs in late summer. All proceeds from this event are donated to one or more non-profit agencies chosen by the Seniors. Seniors staff the entire rummage sale project, from setup to sales to cleanup. Donations are accepted from the community and range from household goods to clothing. This is a great opportunity to volunteer for a worthy cause .Please refer to the monthly calendar and the News tab for specific dates and for the volunteer coordinator contact information.

Transportation
Medical trips to Denver are provided through volunteers working with the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. To arrange for a trip to Denver, call the Senior Center at 970-668-2940 at least 5 days in advance. If you would like to volunteer to help provide this transportation, service please contact the Center.

Transportation is available to the three weekly meals at the Senior Center. Call Martha Kroepler at 970-453-8003 to arrange a ride to the meals.

Additional transportation services throughout the county, including Mountain Mobility, are described in the Services section of this site.

Seasonal

Throughout each year there are seasonal volunteer opportunities for Seniors to work with others to help programs and activities run smoothly, such as holiday decorating and helping maintain the Senior Center garden. Timely date, time and contact information for each event or activity is listed in the Newsletter.

Other Volunteer Opportunities
Summit Seniors have a wide range of interests and talents, and are active and interested in participating in communities throughout Summit County. In addition to the volunteer opportunities coordinated through the Senior Center, there are many other organizations that need volunteer support.

The Summit County Volunteer Center helps match full and part-time residents to non-profit agencies in need of volunteer help. Contact the Volunteer Center at 970-453-9021 to become part of a community-wide volunteer pool, or contact the non-profit agency of your choice directly for further information.

A list of more than fifty non-profit agencies appears monthly in the Summit Daily News, which has provided the list as a courtesy for the Summit County Senior website. To view the non-profit list, click here.