The Lyon County Retired and Volunteer program offers senior citizens many opportunities to volunteer in the community. There is no minimum amount of hours required to volunteer. You can choose one of our established volunteer sites, or you can volunteer on your own. Almost anything that you do to provide a service for others or another organization can be counted as volunteering. For more information, stop by our office located at the Lyon County County Department on Aging or call us at 620-341-3493.

Acceptable & Non-Acceptable Volunteer Hours

There are only two areas where we cannot accept your volunteer hours:

• Religious activities such as teaching Sunday school, holding Bible studies, promoting a certain religion, etc.
• Political activities such as campaigning, rallying, or otherwise promoting a political candidate

There are several activites you may do in your everyday life that you may not even consider as volunteering!Consider ther activities:

• Any work for a nonprofit organization
• Helping plant a garden
• Child care
• Raising enviromental awareness
• Serving on boards or advisory councils
• Crafts / Knitting / Crocheting / Quilting
• Library work
• Music / Entertainment
• School helper / Crossing guard
• Senior Center assistant
• Sporting event helper
• Telephone reassurance / friendly visits
• Tutor / Mentor

How Volunteering Works

In order to keep Lyon County RSVP alive and well, we are dependant on your volunteer hours. Keep track of all the volunteer work you do. Every hour makes a difference.

You will be asked to fill out a short registration form. These simply ask for your name, address and emergency contact information. we also need to know what your interests are, so we can match you with a project that you will enjoy.

You will also be given time sheets for you to track your volunteer hours. Just record the date, time(s) and where you volunteered. We like to have time sheets by the 5th of each month. You may mail them, drop them by or if you are too busy...we can always pick the up from you! Extra time sheets are available at our office, so if you need more, just call us and we will make sure you have plenty.

The hours turned in are calculated bi-annually and sent to the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Volunteer Program Benefits

Newsletter

A newsletter published by RSVP is sent to volunteers. It includes feature stories on senior volunteers and RSVP member sites, opportunities from RSVP member sites and relative community activities and currents events.

Volunteer Insurance

Personal liability insurance is provided to RSVP member volunteers free of charge while volunteering at an assigned site.

Volunteer Referral Service

RSVP will provide you with referral service to various volunteer sites. You choose the volunteer opportunities that are of interest to you, and you designate the days and times that you have availiable for volunteer service. Volunteers with physical disabilities may choose to serve from their own homes.

Monthly Drawings

Those who turn in their time sheets by the 10th of each month are entered into a drawing for prizes.

Helping your community

RSVP participates only with non-profit organizations. Every volunteer opportunity offered benefits the Lyon County area.

Free L-CAT rides to volunteer sites

If needed, volunteers can have complimentary rides on the L-CAT to and from their volunteer sites. This is a $3 value each time you volunteer.

Free knife sharpening

Ken Barrows, L-CAT manager, is allowing our volunteers to bring knives in to be sharpened free of charge (limit 2 knives, please).

National Report of Volunteer Service hours

The number of RSVP member volunteers and the hours that they serve are counted and reported to permit an assessment, locally and nationally, of the numerical impact of senior volunteers and the effectiveness of the RSVP program.

Yearly Recognition Banquet

Every year a banquet is held in honor of all RSVP volunteers who served during the previous year. A meal is provided along with an awards ceremony for outstanding volunteerism.