Volunteer Spotlight - Darci
This month, we are proud to recognize Darci, who has been volunteering with The Center for Volunteer Caregiving for the past two years. Darci is no stranger to giving back as volunteering has been consistent throughout her life.
While raising her children, Darci volunteered at their schools, with the PTA, through her place of worship, and with organizations such as Meals on Wheels. Once her children were grown and she had more free time, she began looking for a new way to serve and eventually found The Center for Volunteer Caregiving.
Darci admits that she felt a bit intimidated about reaching out at first, but she took that first step and we are so glad she did! Since then, she has been a reliable transportation volunteer, providing countless rides to our care receivers. Darci believes transportation is a wonderful entryway into volunteering, as it offers immediate help and flexibility, while also creating meaningful opportunities for connection.
Many care receivers feel anxious about getting to their appointments on time or are simply lonely and eager to talk. Darci goes above and beyond to ease those worries. She carefully plans each trip, building in plenty of extra time, and organizing routes and schedules in advance. Just as importantly, she listens. Darci truly enjoys hearing the stories of the people she serves and considers it a privilege to learn from their wisdom and humor. Darci has collected many funny and interesting stories from her rides and admits that she has a few favorites among her care receivers!
Now that she has been providing transportation for two years, Darci is ready to deepen her involvement and is looking forward to being matched for a friendly visiting assignment, where she can build even stronger one-on-one connections.
Darci’s commitment to service is deeply rooted in her values. She feels an ethical obligation to help make the world a better place, which is an idea she learned growing up with the Jewish tradition known as Tzedakah. Her personal experiences also have shaped her compassion for older adults. When Darci’s grandmother was in a senior living facility in Raleigh, Darci helped oversee her care. Through that experience, she saw firsthand how many older adults receive very few visitors and how much companionship truly means to them.
We are incredibly grateful to Darci for the many rides she has provided, the kindness she has brought to our community, and the difference she has made in the lives of our care receivers!
First published on volunteercaregiving.org