A unique volunteer program is putting retired tradespeople back to work for a good cause – helping seniors with repairs and odd jobs around their home.
Many seniors need help around the house, whether it be repairing a broken curtain rod or leaky faucet. But because of limited budgets, or limited mobility it’s difficult for them to do it themselves.
Deveen Martin is such a senior. She needed help installing a few ramps in her home to make the space more accessible for her and her dog, Dolly. She admits, “It’s difficult, seniors have their pride and it’s hard to ask for help.”
That’s where the United Way program comes in. “We came up with this great idea to engage specifically individuals who’d retired from trades in giving back to the community and still able to utilize their skills in doing so,” Rintoul told CBC Daybreak Kamloops.
They paired retiree and natural handyman Frank Powers with Martin and he came over to install the ramps. “Now that I’m retired I’ve always liked to do this kind of stuff and now I’ve been able to do it,” he said.
For the United Way it’s a “win win” situation. And it’s win-win for the seniors and volunteers too. “We need more help, like volunteers like myself that are willing to take some time out of their day, and these little jobs don’t take long,” Powers said.
You can hear more about the “Trading Up” program in the radio interview below.
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