Member-only story
I Guess Not Everyone Can Be a Volunteer
It’s one thing to be rejected when you’re applying for a job — we all understand how that is part of the process. But to be rejected when you’re just trying to volunteer at your local senior center? Ouch!
It’s been almost two years since my wife died, and I’ve been reading articles on Medium by Paul Gardner, Trisha Faye, Rachel Fefer and others, about the fulfillment they have derived from community service projects. I was thinking maybe it was time for me to break out of my hermitage and expand my horizons.
Our local Banner Olive Branch Senior Center has a beautiful new building with expanded Food Pantry and computer training facilities. I went online to fill out an application to be a volunteer.
I answered every section easily until I got to the end, where they asked for the name and contact information of a family member or friend in case I became sick or injured. I was unable to answer that section, because I have no one. It’s just me. Still, I thought it would be okay. I hit the “Submit” icon.
The computer refused to accept my application. It said that the “Contact” information was a required field.
I’m pretty healthy for my age. No major medical issues that should be a cause for worry. I picked up the phone and left a voice mail message for the volunteer coordinator. I…
