July 9, 2002 - Boston Herald: More U.S. retirees are volunteering for humanitarian service

Peace Corps Online: Peace Corps News: Headlines: Peace Corps Headlines - 2002: 07 July 2002 Peace Corps Headlines: July 9, 2002 - Boston Herald: More U.S. retirees are volunteering for humanitarian service

By Admin1 (admin) on Wednesday, July 10, 2002 - 11:36 am: Edit Post

More U.S. retirees are volunteering for humanitarian service





Read and comment on this excerpt from a story from the Boston Herald that includes a section on Carl Benander. 69, who signed on with the Peace Corps two years ago to spend almost three years as a small business adviser to struggling entrepreneurs in Kenya at:

Sharing wisdom; More U.S. retirees are volunteering for humanitarian service *

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Sharing wisdom; More U.S. retirees are volunteering for humanitarian service

Jul 9, 2002 - Boston Herald Author(s): Azell Murphy Cavaan

CARE, a humanitarian organization that serves families in the poorest communities worldwide, reports that 15 percent of the people who participate in the Care Corps Volunteer Program are older then 51.

The organization's managers say they have been pleasantly surprised by the number of older Americans enrolling in the hands- on program, which was introduced in October.

"Older people are remaining healthy and active in retirement and they're deciding to give THEMSELVES to the causes they've been giving their money to for all these years," said Shelby French, CARE Corps coordinator.

And the agencies are happy to have them.

"They bring to the table a wealth of experience and wisdom that is unseen in our younger volunteers," French said.

Seniors in the Peace Corps

Carl Benander of Worcester was 69 when he signed on with the Peace Corps two years ago to spend almost three years as a small business adviser to struggling entrepreneurs in Kenya.

Like Killen, Benander believes there are great advantages to volunteering for overseas service after retirement.

"I had money to do the things I wanted to do," he said.

While most of the younger volunteers in Benander's class of 55 had college loans to consider and hadn't been working long enough to accumulate any wealth, Benander joined the Peace Corps as a retired factory owner.

"The people we worked with were so poor and it brought me great joy to be able to give them $100 here and there when they least expected it," he said.

But the biggest rewards, Benander said, had nothing to do with cash.

"After working for so many years, there was great value in taking my life experiences and altering them to situations that were instrumental in helping the poorest of the poor," Benander said.

"I was able to see situations in ways that younger volunteers couldn't, simply because they didn't have the life experience."

These days, Benander speaks to Rotary Club members and other organizations about the benefits of volunteering overseas later in life.

The prospect, he admits, takes most senior citizens by surprise.

"For so long this kind of thing has been associated with kids right out of college," Benander said.

But program directors say older volunteers bring to their missions a view that is more realistic and goal-oriented than their younger counterparts.

"Young people are out to save the world and it's inevitable that at some point their balloon gets busted," French said.

"Older people bring less ideals and they've learned over the years they can lend a helping hand that makes a big difference but in a small way."



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This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; Peace Corps Recruitment; COS - Kenya

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