Love for service moves volunteer
CRANBERRY TWP — Frank Leisie doesn't ask for money or recognition for the volunteering that consumes most of his days. It's a reward in itself, he said, to help people less fortunate in health or finances than himself.
Leisie, 83, of Cranberry often volunteers his services to people much younger than himself. He dedicates his time primarily to the Butler County Area Agency on Aging, a nonprofit and state-run organization that offers dozens of services to county residents 60 years or older.
Leisie often drives seniors to doctor appointments or to Pittsburgh International Airport. When he's not lending a helping hand by driving, he's working with Meals on Wheels and making food runs to the Evans City Food Cupboard.
Leisie figured he volunteers about 50 hours per month between the Area Agency on Aging and other assorted organizations, volunteering that entails dozens of hours of driving per week, he said.
He doesn't mind the driving, he said, because it's just like he never retired from a 30-year career as a truck driver.
"I like to keep moving," Leisie said. "I'm mostly on the go all the time being pretty active. I never wanted to be a couch potato."
His adventures take him down the street or as far away as Pittsburgh, he said. He is not paid for his trips, even for longer ones, but he does get reimbursed by the Area Agency on Aging for mileage.
He said about 99 percent of the people he comes across in volunteering are courteous, pleasant and thankful, and he often enjoys their company. There are times, brief and infrequent, that he second-guesses himself and the dozens of hours he volunteers each month.
"The other morning I was warming up the car. It was 7 degrees, my fingers were frozen and I thought to myself, 'What am I doing out here?'" he said with a laugh. "I really enjoy doing it, though, because it's gratifying work. It's certainly worth it."
Leisie also said he would have started volunteering years ago if his work schedule permitted. But since his schedule is clear and work isn't an obstacle, Leisie said he'll volunteer as long and as much as he possibly can.
In January Leisie said he broke a personal record by transporting 15 seniors to appointments or meetings throughout the county. He's looking to break that record again this month and said he'll continue to volunteer as long as his health and car can keep up."I figure I'll do this as long as I can drive," Leisie said.Lisa Monday, the organization's administrator, said the agency relies on volunteers to keep the things running smoothly. She said the Area Agency on Aging recently celebrated its 25th year of assisting seniors throughout the county and that volunteers have played an integral role in the organization during its entire tenure.She said more than 6,000 seniors every year use the agency's broad range of services, including transportation assistance, wellness programs and home health services. She said the organization even offers a service that sends volunteers to seniors' homes to socialize for about one hour a week.Monday said the agency oversees 11 senior citizen centers throughout the county, provides services for more than 500 cases of home-based assistance and transports more than 800 seniors annually to doctor appointments and other events.The agency's $4 million annual budget is largely funded by the state lottery system and the county because the agency is a state-run program. The organization is governed by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and mostly receives state-issued funds, although the agency does accept donations from seniors and their families.She said the organization thrives because of its volunteers and the activities they perform, such as the writing and mailing of more than 6,000 copies every month of the agency's newsletter. That's only one example of the leaps and bounds taken by most volunteers just to brighten the days of the seniors they come across.Monday said she looks forward every April to the agency's volunteer appreciation dinner, which is only one way the group shows its appreciation for the people who keep the organization running without asking for monetary reimbursement."It's a small way of trying to recognize all their efforts," she said. "We have a really great group of people who never cease to amaze me for what they're willing to do for us and for the seniors in Butler County."
<B>Address: </B>111 Sunnyview Circle, Suite 110, Butler, PA 16001<B>Administrator: </B>Lisa Monday<B>Budget: </B>$4 million<B>People served: </B>More than 6,000<B>Services: </B>Transportation assistance, wellness programs, home health services and operation of 11 senior citizen centers<B>Phone: </B>724-282-3008<B>Web site:</B> www.aaainfo@co. butler.pa.us
