April is Volunteer Appreciation Month — and we at Senior Planet from AARP are lucky enough to have a bevy of brilliant volunteers to show our appreciation to! 

Volunteers in Action

Volunteers at Senior Planet do a lot to keep our programs free and offered frequently. They co-host discussion groups; they answer tech questions on Senior Planet Community; they work at our contact center; they greet new visitors at our walk-in Centers; they provide input that helps shape the future of our classes and so much more.

Volunteers are an integral part of the fabric of our community and impact – so thank you to every single person who has donated their valuable time to Senior Planet! We have too many amazing volunteers to be able to highlight them all, but we asked a few of them from around the country to share why they choose to donate their time and expertise to Senior Planet.

…in Colorado:

Here is what volunteer Ella Walsh (at right) has to say about her experience at the Denver walk-in center.  

“I get great satisfaction from helping people use their electronic devices which have become necessary to complete our everyday activities.”

– Ella “Doodle” Walsh, Colorado Volunteer 

For directions and more information about Senior Planet in Lowry, Colorado, visit here or call 720-328-0875.

…in New York State’s North Country:

Senior Planet’s walk-in Center in the North Country of Upstate New York offers opportunities to learn and meet other people, like Volunteer Rose Martin.

“I love coming to the center because I am able to help others and learn alongside them. I also am very comfortable at Senior Planet and it’s great to help others feel comfortable as well. Senior Planet has a very positive environment.”

– Rose Martin, North Country Volunteer 

To learn more about Senior Planet in the North Country, call the Senior Planet center in Plattsburgh, NY Mon-Fri, 10am-5pm: 518-566-4422.

…and online:

Not near one of our Senior Planet centers? Senior Planet offers dozens of online classes, groups and webinars. None of them would be possible without the efforts of volunteers like Victoria Liska:

I love the online classes. I meet so many wonderful people from all over the United States!”

– Victoria Liska, Online Volunteer 

Get Involved!

Want to start volunteering? There are a few ways to get involved… 

• In-Person Opportunities: Check out in-person volunteer opportunities here. Opportunities include becoming a front desk receptionist, a tech talk host or class assistant. 
• Virtual Class Co-Host: Want to help run one of your favorite classes or discussion groups? Sign up to be a virtual class co-host by clicking here! 
• Share Your Expertise: Have a tech product or topic you love and want other people to know about? We have the opportunity for you! Every Tuesday, at our virtual discussion group “Lunch & Learn,” we are inviting a community member to lead a discussion on a tech-related topic that they are passionate about. Click here to volunteer! 

Your Turn: Shout out a Volunteer 

Is there a volunteer that has made a difference, big or small, in your life? Shout them out in the comment section below! 

Photo (top): courtesy of Senior Planet

Middle photos:  supplied by interviewees  

Pam Hugi is Senior Planet’s Community and Advocacy Manager. Based in Brooklyn, she runs Senior Planet’s Supporter program in addition to being a contributing writer for this site. She can be reached at supporters@seniorplanet.org.