About 22% of adults age 65 and older reported volunteering in 2021, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement. Around 22% of people in their 70s and 80s volunteer on a weekly basis, which is higher than the rate among older adults in their 50s.
This week on the Swimming Upstream Radio Show, we’ll meet two people repelling for a cause and one who says public speaking is a path into lending a hand to people
Repelling for a Cause
Meet Jon Hubble, age 84, and Diane Malone, both members of a senior residential community, They’re choosing to raise money for an important project by repelling (that’s dropping down with a rope). Anyway, they’ll be coming down the front of a four story building. They’ll be back next month to tell us how it went.
Bil Lewis, Toastmasters
Bil Lewis is a Computer Scientist and has worked in research and taught most of his life, most recently doing Genetics Research at MIT. He has taught at Stanford and Tufts Universities and worked for FMC, Sun Microsystems, and Nokia Data.
Bil is a Past District Governor for Toastmasters (Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island), an Eagle Scout, a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, and a Patriotic Citizen of the United States.
Bil joined Toastmasters when his mother dragged him by the ear to a meeting after he graduated college. Bil discovered that being able to speak well in public was a very useful skill, which he was weak in.
He has improved.
Using his speaking skills, Bil ran his own company for a decade, teaching and consulting in Computer Science. In 2015, Bil took on the persona of James Madison and began performing for schools, libraries, and conferences.
As a District Governor, Bil got to practice his leadership skills. He had 50 direct reports and 3,000 members, with a budget of $50,000. He ran two major conferences and organized 100 contests and trainings.
He learned a lot.
All because of Toastmasters.
Links:
Bil Lewis on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/bil-lewis-4986314/
Toastmasters International – https://www.toastmasters.org