South Oklahoma City Man Volunteers to Give Back for Blessings Received
National Volunteer Week was celebrated April 7-13
In his retirement, Fred Selensky enjoys his membership in the Oklahoma City Fiat Car Club and has built many friendships with other car enthusiasts over the years. But his weekly volunteer role has also brought new friendships into his life.
âWhen I retired, I was looking for a way to give back for the blessings Iâve received,â Selensky said.
So, he signed up to be a volunteer driver for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Central Oklahoma (RSVP) Provide-A-Ride program, which provides low-income seniors transportation to doctorâs appointments. Last year, 66 RSVP Provide-A-Ride volunteers drove more than 400 clients to 6,065 medical appointments.
âItâs fulfilling a need in the clients I take because they donât drive and donât have to pay for a taxi to medical appointments,â he said. âItâs really fulfilling for me, too, and I enjoy doing something people appreciate. Itâs not a choreâ
April is National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to honoring volunteers and encouraging volunteerism. Selensky is one of more than 900,000 Oklahomans who gave of their time last year, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. Research shows that adults who volunteer are more likely to experience health benefitsâlonger life span and better mental health.
If you are interested in volunteering with RSVP as a Provide-A-Ride driver or with one of the many RSVP nonprofit partners, call 405.605-3110 or visit www.rsvpokc.org.
