A recent article in the ShareCare InterConnect caught my eye. Jay wrote a request for us to spend a little time each month visiting a member who is homebound. It has been my privilege to do this twice, as a ShareCare member. Living in the southern most part of the county, my two assignments were close by which made it convenient for me to visit both people at least once each week.

My most recent visitee was Alloa, who was known to many of you. What was initially an assignment became a strong and lasting friendship, and became a regular part of my week, for 18 months. Alloa was a talked, as many of you know, and I used to time my visits before the dinner hour so that I could leave gracefully. Even so, a staff member came in to announce dinner several times and said, “I should know that you'd arrive a little late tonight, Alloa, because it’s Tuesday.”

During the years that my children were growing up, our family hosted many exchange students. When others asked about it I would always say, “I don’t know how much they learned from us, but we certainly learned a great deal from them” That could be said about my visits with Alloa. She asked the ShareCare office for a friendly visitor, but I was the one who really received the benefits! She was fascinating, informed, super intelligent, well read, knew something about every subject I ever raised, had a keen sense of humor, and had a lot of “street smarts”. WOW, did I learn from her!

Once again, after having volunteered, I find myself reflecting on the satisfaction that comes from volunteering. I’d like to share my experience with you.

As part of our Friendly Visitor program I was recently asked to be a companion to one of our members, Chuck, who himself has a long history of serving his community. Little did I know how terrific it would be to get to know Chuck. He was born in 1915, and after college Chuck went to work with the National Youth Administration where he set up programs to help make young people employable.

In 1940, Chuck married Mildred who worked as a pediatric MD, and later, child psychologist. Along with their four children, they moved from downstate to Traverse City and became very involved with the community. Mildred organized a campaign to start the YMCA in Traverse City, and together they served on its Board (both taking stints as president). With a long standing interest in jazz, Chuck helped organize the Slabtown Marching Society whose purpose is to bring jazz bands to Traverse City.

By 1980, the Ballances were ready to retire and purchased hilltop property in Lake Leelanau. From their environmentally friendly house, they could see both the towns of Leland and Lake Leelanau. Sadly, Millie died in 2002, and now Chuck who lives independently, occasionally uses ShareCare services and reaps the rewards of having helped develop the organization.

So, not only do I get satisfaction in volunteering, I get to visit with an interesting person and listen to some great jazz! I enjoy listening to Chuck’s stories, and I feel good to have brightened his day.

The words in one of Chuck’s jazz recordings, from Turk Murphy’s well-known San Francisco Jazz Band (active in the late 1940s), sum it up best. To a wonderful and hauntingly beautiful tune, the vocalist sings, “The good that you do will com’ on back to you, and it don’t cost very much.”