Finding new purpose: Walters, Mahan making a difference as AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers

To a working professional, the day-to-day grind of punching the clock and paying the bills can oftentimes feel like a burden. The thought of reaching retirement age seems like the solution to many hardships, but entering into that phase of life can also bring with it a totally new, and somewhat unexpected, set of problems.

Some of these problems include finding ways to fill a sudden abundance of free time in your schedule, figuring out how to stay actively engaged with the community, and/or having to take on a completely different approach to finances now that a regular paycheck from an employer is no longer part of the routine.

Luckily for Phyllis Walters and Donna Mahan, the AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer program has provided them with an answer to all of the above-mentioned issues, giving them a new purpose in retirement as assistant tutors in the Save the Children literacy program.

“I retired three years ago to babysit my grandson,” Mahan said. “But then he started preschool, and I had nothing to do. I was bored, and I needed some structure to my days.”

Mahan said that she heard about Americorps Seniors and Save the Children at church, and after looking into it further she decided that the program might be a good fit for her. “I love to read,” she explained. “My husband [Delmar Mahan] was on the Whitley County Board of Education for 27 years, and my daughter was a principal at Williamsburg Elementary, so I decided to follow them in doing something related to education.”

Mahan now finds herself assisting students of all ages at Oak Grove Elementary School with their reading skills and comprehension. “It helps to have a place to get up and go to,” she said. “And I do enjoy the children. They will wave at you in the hallways, and give you hugs. It’s really sweet.”

Walters also heard about AmeriCorps and Save the Children while at church, and like Mahan, has found great joy in her work as a volunteer at Oak Grove.

“My daughter said it would be something good for me to do that would keep me active,” Walters said. “So I signed up for it, and I have done it now for several years.”

Walters said that she started out as a volunteer at Whitley Central Intermediate, and left the program for a time when her husband became ill. After his passing, she said that she decided to return to Save the Children, and was placed at Oak Grove, which is where she continues to work today.

“I really enjoy it, because it keeps me up-to-date on things as I am getting older,” Walters said. “It is also good to work with the kids every day, and to know that you are helping them to progress.”

Although they have found a lot in common with each other through their work in retirement, Mahan and Walters come from very different backgrounds. Mahan worked as an x-ray technician for many years before spending 25 years as a mental health counselor, while Walters spent the majority of her career with American Greeting Card before the company’s Corbin plant closed back in the 1990’s.

Mahan’s background specifically gives her some valuable insight into the importance of staying active in retirement. She said, “From a mental health standpoint, having structure in your day is important. Also, with volunteering, you will find that you actually get more out of  that yourself than you are giving to others. It gives you a purpose, and you will feel much better.”

“Even when you don’t feel well, you feel better when you are here,” Walters added.

Mahan and Walters’ daily routine as AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers include a roughly 30-minute session with each group of students that they see during the course of a school day. They use a variety of tools and methods to engage with students, and help guide them toward their individual literacy goals. They both describe it as rewarding work that they look forward to continuing in the future.

“We do hope to instill in them a joy of reading,” Mahan said. “They also need to know that they are all special. They need that attention, and frankly, we do as well.”

“Doing something like this helps to keep you in the know,” said Walters. “I just enjoy being with the kids, especially the little ones. I encourage anyone who might be interested in doing this to at least check it out.”

According to Program Coordinator Missy Reynolds, there are currently 45 AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers serving in a total of 23 elementary schools across eight counties in our region. Included in that list of locations are Oak Grove, Whitley North and Pleasant View elementary schools, Whitley Central Primary, Corbin Primary, and Williamsburg Independent School.

Reynolds said that recruitment efforts are currently underway to fill volunteer vacancies at Boston and Whitley East elementary schools, with applications being available at the Whitley County Board of Education offices in downtown Williamsburg, or by emailing ACseniorsKY@savechildren.org.

Background checks are mandatory, and are administered at no cost to the applicant. Applicants must also be at least 55 years of age and meet certain income requirements in order to qualify for participation in the program.

Reynolds invites anyone interested in possibly becoming a volunteer to come by the Whitley County Board of Education or send in an email request for more information today.

This story appeared in the Senior Living insert included with the February 8, 2023 print edition of the News Journal.