50+ Lifestyles

RSVP | Lead with Experience

By Bill Sedlacek
Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Eastern Iowa and Western Illnois

Phyllis Kenney ~ Leading the Way from Her Own Home

“I’ve met many wonderfully unique RSVP members since Dave Layton first asked me to tell their stories here. Phyllis Kenney, this month’s spotlighted volunteer, is a longtime resident of our little “bend of the river” and is one of the most unique.

Like all the folks that have been spotlighted here, Phyllis finds it difficult to contain her enthusiasm for the good works of the organizations for which she volunteers. She is so modest that it was a chore to keep her focused on the importance of her own contribution to these organizations rather than the good works of that organization. More impressive yet is that she continues volunteering despite her temporary limited mobility.

Phyllis and Bill

Phyllis is on the Board of Directors, and on the Financial and the Quality Insurance Committees of the local Community Health Care Clinics. Because of her limited mobility, Phyllis attends each of the committee and board meetings by teleconference, fully participating and voting on agenda items. Community Health Care (with offices in Davenport, Rock Island, Moline and East Moline and a recently-opened Clinton, Iowa location) has a mission to provide quality health care to all without regard to their ability to pay. Phyllis can personally attest to their dedication with her personal story of her visit where the doctor took time to answer Phyllis’s questions and ask other questions as part of a very thorough examination. What happened next was truly astounding. At 11:30 at night on the day of the examination, a doctor from the clinic called Phyllis, told her that her tests had revealed something troublesome and said that she should go to an emergency room. The hospital verified the diagnosis. Phyllis was hospitalized for a few days and went home with the condition stabilized. That is quality healthcare. The Clinics not only treat the uninsured or inadequately insured, but also treat others, such as Phyllis and a friend of mine who also has excellent health insurance. They could go anywhere, but choose the clinic knowing that they will get quality healthcare. The physicians provide the care, but the “behind-the-scenes” volunteers, such as Phyllis, help them to do so.

Another organization which benefits from Phyllis’s efforts, again participating some from her home, is the Home and Community Education Program, formerly the Rock Island Home Extension Service. Phyllis helps that program with fundraising from geranium sales, with sponsoring fund-raising entertainment at the Playcrafters Barn Theater, and with assisting in other activities through the year. The proceeds are used to fund 4-H programs, to help with homeless shelter needs, and with other community services for the less fortunate, such as the Veterans Stand-Down Day programs and wellness calls to folks who may be confined to their homes. Ever active, Phyllis is also on their board of directors, sometimes participating from home.

Additionally, she is a computer applications instructor at the Western Illinois Area Agency on Aging office in Rock Island where she teaches every Tuesday from September to May. She also does part of that work from home, encouraging students to practice their e-mail skills by e-mailing her at her home, and welcoming telephone questions from her students. These are not Phyllis’s only volunteering efforts. She was involved with the Senior Olympics for 12 years. She enjoyed her time in that very worthwhile activity, but, like a lot of us who have done a variety of different volunteer work, moved on for something new.

The thought which we’d like to instill in you, is that a lack of mobility doesn’t necessarily stop you from volunteering in your community. I’m another example of one who works from home on this column. If I could not get out for the interviews, I could do them over the phone. If you’d like to see if there is something in which you can become involved from home or away, please call the RSVP office at (309) 793-4425 or e-mail dlayton@wiaaa.org.