If someone asks you to help with RSVP, they may be asking you to volunteer-not assist with party planning. According to RSVP Director Jan Sweikert, RSVP is a volunteer recruitment and placement service that provides meaningful volunteer opportunities for people 55 and over. "Volunteers share their skills, knowledge, and lifetime experiences to help not-for-profit organizations throughout our communities meet the needs of others."

RSVP as a nationwide organization came about as an outgrowth of efforts to address the needs of retired persons in America, she said. "The White House Conference on Aging in 1961 called attention to the continuing needs of older people for useful activity. The outcome was the passage of the Older American's Act in 1965 and an amendment in 1969 to create the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. Since 1973, it's been federally funded under the Domestic Volunteer Service Act. It's also funded by the Illinois Department on Aging. This year marks the 31st anniversary of RSVP serving Peoria and Tazewell counties."

RSVP certainly has caught on well in the tri-county area in the past 31 years. "We currently have 550 active volunteers who, last year, donated 88,000 volunteer hours to their communities," Sweikert said.

And their "jobs" are as diverse as the individual volunteers themselves, she said. "Our volunteers work with more than 75 different non-profit agencies. They tutor in schools and work with adult literacy. They deliver blood products for the Red Cross and are trained to assist our communities in times of disaster. They escort patients in hospitals. They welcome tourists to Peoria at the Visitors Bureau. They volunteer with Pets for Seniors and help out at animal shelters. They serve meals at community meal sites. They deliver meals to home-bound seniors through the Visiting Nurse 'Meals on Wheels' program. They work with children at community centers. They help organizations like the Alzheimer's Association, American Cancer Society, and Arthritis Foundation get the word out about information and services. We have more than 200 volunteer opportunities to choose from; there's definitely something for everyone."

Sweikert said RSVP works strictly with not-for-profit organizations because they need the help. "They never have enough staff or enough money. They couldn't continue to operate without volunteers."

In years past, retirees may have been considered past their prime, but the non-profits that benefit from RSVP volunteers know they've found a good thing. "Agencies recognize that seniors have a lot of skills and experience. They know seniors are generally very dependable and reliable. At RSVP, it's our responsibility to make sure we place the right volunteer with the right agency. We want to be sure the volunteer experience is a good one for both the volunteer and their organization," she said.

For seniors who aren't able to commit to long-term volunteer jobs, RSVP instituted STARS: Short-Term Assignment Retirees for Service. STARS are a core group of RSVP volunteers who enjoy the variety of intensive, short-term volunteer assignments. "It's our goal to place volunteers in long-term assignments, and most of our volunteers prefer this. We want our volunteers to feel that they're a part of the organization they're helping-part of the staff. Occasionally, though, we have a volunteer who prefers a wide variety of assignments. We try to accommodate everyone and will call on them for health fairs, bulk mailings, and other special events," she said.

Part of the reason RSVP boasts so many volunteers is because with the longevity many people are enjoying, it's possible for a volunteer to be with RSVP for 40 years. "Our volunteers range from age 55 into their 90s," Sweikert said. "Our oldest volunteer is Clara Eddy. She's 98 years old and has volunteered for 28 years."

Most people are attracted to RSVP for two main reasons: It keeps them busy, and it helps them give back to their communities. "It fills their time," she explained. "And they want to feel needed. It gets them out of the house, they make new friends, and they spend time with people their own age. Another reason volunteers give is that they've received help when they needed it, and they want to repay the favor."

Even with the strength of its current volunteer cadre, Sweikert said RSVP is constantly recruiting new volunteers. "It's our goal to double the number of RSVP volunteers by 2006. We sponsor monthly recruitment events, and we're always trying to reach those people not currently volunteering and get them involved with their community. We currently recruit volunteers for over 75 agencies, but we get calls all the time from agencies that would like our help, and we've added 10 new agencies in the past six months. At this point, it's our goal to increase the number of volunteers we have, and then we'll consider adding more agencies."

In addition to providing volunteer opportunities for seniors and help for non-profits, RSVP aids seniors in understanding health insurance matters through the Senior Health Insurance Program (SHIP). "It's a state-wide program supported by the Illinois Department of Insurance," Sweikert explained. "RSVP has four trained volunteers who answer questions about Medicare, Medicare-managed care plans, and long-term care insurance. They can advise about supplemental insurance and also about the various new prescription drug programs. They can also help someone with claim filings or appeals, in addition to providing insurance policy analysis, and there's never a charge for this service. The four RSVP volunteers who work with the SHIP program have more than 30 years total experience with SHIP. Our SHIP volunteers are under-utilized, and we hope to do more promotion of this program with the public."

Sweikert said she loves working with the RSVP program because she's a volunteer at heart. "I volunteered for 15 years myself while my children were growing up. I still actively volunteer for Habitat for Humanity and chair their family service committee. RSVP is the perfect program for me because it allows me to help out at both ends. I find worthwhile things for volunteers to do, and I also help the organizations get the help they need. The most challenging aspect of my job is to get the word out. If someone thinks they might like to volunteer but doesn't know where to go or who needs their help, they just need to call RSVP at 682-8521. We know the volunteer needs of the community, and we'll find the right place for them." TPW