Volunteer Services

Shirley Bowditch enjoys her time spent volunteering at the YWCA’s Childcare Program.

Land-of-Sky Regional Council

Americans over 55 have a lifetime of experience to share, and the desire to make a real difference in their world. They’ve managed households, been business owners and nurses, farmers and salespeople, artists and executives. Now they are ready to put their unique talents and expertise to work in their communities and enrich their own lives in the process.

Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s Volunteer Services Department connects today’s over-55s with the people and organizations that need them most in Western North Carolina. We help them become mentors, coaches or companions to people in need, or contribute their job skills and expertise to community projects and organizations. Their contributions of skills, knowledge, and experience make a real difference to individuals, nonprofits, and faith-based and other community organizations throughout our region.

LOSRC offers several ways to get involved. Volunteers receive
guidance and training so they can make a contribution that suits their
talents, interests, and availability. Volunteers are needed in the
following programs:

The Foster Grandparent Program connects volunteers age 55 and
over with children and young people with exceptional needs. Volunteers
mentor, support, and help some of the most vulnerable children in local
elementary schools, day care centers, and Head Start facilities. 

The Senior Companion Program brings together volunteers age 55
and over with adults in their community who have difficulty with the
simple tasks of day-to-day living. Companions help out on a personal
level by assisting with shopping and light chores, interacting with
doctors, or just making a friendly visit. 

RSVP connects volunteers age 55 and over with service
opportunities in their communities that match their skills and
availability. From building houses to immunizing children, from
enhancing the capacity of non-profit organizations to improving and
protecting the environment, RSVP volunteers put their unique talents to
work to make a difference.

Last year, more than 1,000 senior adult volunteers gave 350,000
hours of service to Western North Carolina. For more information, please
contact LeeAnne Tucker, Director of Volunteer Services, at (828)
251-6622.

Evelyn Littlejohn has been a volunteer with the Senior Companion
Program at Land-of-Sky Regional Council since January 4, 2005. She has
served more than 3,500 hours as a Senior Companion volunteer. She
provides respite to family caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s
disease. Evelyn allows the primary caregiver to take a break from the
stress associated with being a caregiver full-time.

Evelyn goes out of her way to accommodate the family and her
client’s needs. A client’s caregiver became unable to get his wife ready
for the adult day care center due to his health. Evelyn stepped right
in. She goes by this family’s house every morning to get the client
ready and then goes to assist another client. Evelyn has a genuine love
for others and demonstrates that through her volunteerism.

Evelyn Littlejohn is a Senior Companion volunteer.

RSVP’s Simple Acts of Green Program
RSVP Volunteers living at Laurel Woods Apartment in Asheville worked
to help make draft-stoppers for at-home elderly in our community.
Draft-stoppers are a very simple act of green with a big impact on our
environment. Sealing drafts in the home can save from 5 percent to 30
percent on home energy costs. A CO2 offset of 550 lbs which means the
volunteers at Laurel Park helped stop 9,350 lbs of CO2 from entering our
environment. This is just one of the many meaningful and fun volunteer
opportunities through the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program.