Jack Reynolds, 85, has lived a long and learned life, and he has been volunteering for most of it. With a tradition of community service instilled in him from an early age, Jack joined the Junior Chamber of Commerce as a young man, which then stretched into a lifetime of volunteering. Volunteering has brought him good life.
“Volunteering has been very rewarding,” Jack says, acknowledging how he met Barb, his wife of more than 55 years, while working with disabled children at Easter Seals.
As the two raised their three kids, Jack, working full time, still managed to volunteer with his church as well as other organizations. Now retired and with 25 years of volunteering at Centennial Elementary School under his belt, “Grandpa Jack,” as he’s known by students, is still putting in more than 100 hours a month assisting second- and third-graders as a classroom helper. Jack has an affinity for connecting with people, and he sees volunteering as the perfect outlet to exercise his passion. Always leading with his heart, Jack’s advice for perspective volunteers is tried and true. “Don’t ask what the world needs, but ask yourself, what makes you come alive? This makes me come alive and I’m having a ball!” he says.
Jack is a member of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP). If you are 55+ and want to volunteer, visit unitedway-thurston.org/RSVP.php or call Jennifer Thompson, RSVP Volunteer Coordinator at 360-943-2773. Ext. 21.
