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Volunteers sidelined by pandemic report missing fulfillment of their assignments

By
Jason Berghorst

“I really miss seeing those people.” 
That’s how Luverne’s Dolly Talbert described being away from her volunteer work at the Sanford Luverne Clinic since March. 
 “I really enjoy working at the front desk, greeting all the people who come in,” Talbert says. “It’s fun to see so many people, sometimes people I haven’t seen in years come in.” 
Talbert is one of many local retired residents who volunteer in the community through A.C.E. of Southwest Minnesota-Rock County. 
Most of those volunteer opportunities have been put on hold since the coronavirus pandemic stay-at-home orders began in March.
Care facilities, the medical center, schools and other locations that rely heavily on volunteers have been temporarily closed or restricted from having visitors. 
“It’s really been hard,” said Linda Wenzel, Aging and Volunteer Service Coordinator for A.C.E. in Rock County.
“These volunteers really look forward to helping out and often the people they go to see need that contact the most. It’s beneficial to both sides.” 
Rock County has over 450 senior volunteers who serve at about 70 different locations. Last year, A.C.E. volunteers donated over 46,500 hours of time locally. 
Wenzel said that the nature of the population that has been most impacted by the virus has made it important to limit most of the volunteering done by retired people in Rock County. 
“Our most valuable population is also our most vulnerable,” she said. “There will never be another generation like this one; they are priceless.”
Social isolation and missing the chance to see family and friends in person is the hardest part of the pandemic impacts on local seniors, according to Wenzel. 
“Some are doing virtual visits or window visits outside the care facilities, but it’s just not the same,” she said. “People need that human contact and they are really missing it.”
 
Staying connected while socially distancing
Jan Brandenburg of Luverne is a retiree who normally volunteers at the clinic, the elementary school and many more locations.
“For me, the most disappointing thing was the end of Bookin’ Buddies, where I go to read with a student at school,” Brandenburg said.
“It all ended so abruptly, we didn’t even get to say good-bye,” she said.
Brandenburg has found some ways to stay connected during her time away from volunteering.
She said volunteers with the Rock County Historical Society have used Zoom to meet online.
“We also have a group of us who exercise at the park on the basketball court there,” Brandenburg said.
“We are able to exercise and socialize in the park while keeping our social distance.” 
Brandenburg pointed out there is much to learn when our routines are forced to change.
“We just take so much for granted in our day-to-day life,” she said. “It’s a whole new world for all of us.”
Brandenburg was one of over 100 volunteers who were remembered by Sanford Luverne staff in May.
 “We didn’t get close,” said Sara Schmuck, community liaison for Sanford Luverne.
“We just set a piece of boxed pie down with a card, shouted an explanation and ran to the next stop.”
Schmuck said the gesture was in place of the annual Sanford volunteer appreciation banquet.
“Some people were asking us to come in for coffee or telling us they were bored,” Schmuck said.
“It was quite eye-opening,” she added. “Many of them need to volunteer as much as organizations need the volunteers.”

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