AARP Texas Needs Volunteers Around the State
John Vasquez, 68, came for the discounts. He stayed for the satisfaction and personal development he has discovered in volunteering.
“With volunteering you get purpose, and purpose is important to have a successful retirement,” says Vasquez, a former municipal judge, community advocate and current AARP Texas volunteer state president.
The San Antonio resident retired early in 2015 for health reasons and chose to get more involved with AARP — in part because of its work to expand access to health care. Since then, he’s become a top AARP legislative advocate when state lawmakers meet in Austin every two years.
Vasquez is among 300 volunteers who play an important role in AARP Texas’ efforts to improve the lives of older adults. AARP is seeking more volunteers for everything from giving talks on caregiving or fraud prevention, to sharing information about AARP at festivals to helping run virtual events and conducting walk audits to help improve pedestrian safety.
“Our volunteers are skilled, dedicated and passionate about giving back to their communities and helping others live their best lives,” says Tina Tran, AARP Texas state director.
AARP has 50 to 60 volunteers who serve as legislative advocates. Earlier this year, they successfully pushed for adult diapers to be included in a bill that would make certain products — such as baby diapers, tampons and maternity clothes — exempt from state sales tax.
“These products are not being bought because they’re a luxury. They’re a necessity,” Vasquez says. Adult diapers wouldn’t have been included if it weren’t for AARP urging them to be added to the legislation, he notes.
Volunteering brings benefits
Vasquez says the hours he puts in volunteering with AARP pay him back in many ways.
“I’m a lawyer, and you write a lot,” he says. “If you’re not practicing your writing skills and your analysis skills, they tend to get dulled.”
AARP needs community ambassadors — including Houston and Dallas residents who are bilingual — to represent and share information about AARP at local events. Volunteers are needed for the Speakers Bureau, which offers in-person and virtual talks to community groups on topics such as brain health, decluttering and downsizing your house, and caregiving.
While volunteering is all about helping others, research shows that it also has health benefits for the volunteers themselves.
Eva Bonilla, a Dallas-Fort Worth tour guide, began volunteering for AARP in 2014. She has been working with AARP advocates in Austin this year, as well as on projects in her hometown that are aimed at making neighborhoods more livable for residents of all ages.
“I love the social aspect. I have a lot of energy that I like to share,” Bonilla says. “I’m working at 74, but a lot of people think I’m 50-something. That’s because of volunteering in the community.”
Sonia Ramirez, 56, a media professional currently working for a Houston public relations firm, says volunteering helped her keep a hand in writing articles while she was between jobs during the pandemic. “You are never too old to keep making an impact on this world,” she says.
To volunteer, call 866-227-7443 or email txaarp@aarp.org.
Thomas Korosec is a writer living in Dallas.
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