“I have always been fascinated by language and appalled by statistics of how much illiteracy there is in affluent Montgomery County.” -Martin Shargel, Literacy Council volunteer
with equipment and supplies. After class, we dry and put away utensils, wipe counters, sweep floors and prepare the class area for the next group. Assistants earn points used for discounts on future classes and are often invited to enjoy lunch or dessert “final exams” made by the professional school students—truly worth every calorie. My husband, who still works three days a week seeing orthopedic patients at the Veterans Administration Hospital in Baltimore, volunteers monthly at Holy Cross Hospital Health Center in Silver Spring and at Mobile Medical Care Inc. (MobileMed), a Bethesda-based organization that provides orthopedic consultations to uninsured patients in Montgomery County.
There is quite an array of volunteer
opportunities available to those who are interested. Sometimes a group seeks volunteers who would benefit from learning new skills and who are willing to work for free—which benefits the group. “I have always been fascinated by language and appalled by statistics of how much illiteracy there is in affluent Montgomery County,” said Martin Shargel, a retired physician. Board-certified in internal and geriatric medicine, Shargel has been involved with the Literary Council of Montgomery County for the past year. He works with a student once or twice a week, meeting at
public places such as libraries, and working to perfect his student’s reading and writing skills. “She works hard,” said Shargel about his current student, a woman from Ethiopia who has recently achieved citizenship and wants to improve her competency in English. “This is rewarding work,” said Shargel, “and I feel good doing it.” Carolyn Shargel, who is Martin Shargel’s wife, volunteers at a totally different venue: the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence (OPC). Now in her fourth year with OPC, Carolyn Shargel reads emails sent to the president and forwards them for appropriate attention. If someone needs help with an issue, the response includes a link to a website, or perhaps a letter will then be written by a staff person to address the issue. “I have known about this office for years and always wanted to work here,” said Carolyn Shargel, who volunteers once a week for four to six hours. In existence since the early 1900s, the OPC originally dealt with letters addressed to theWhite House. Now emails are included, as are other types of communications to the president, such as gifts to the first family and calls coming into the White House.Volunteers may also handle requests for milestone birthdays to be acknowledged. About 480 volunteers from Maryland, Virginia and the District work in OPC departments.
“This is totally different from every other part of my life and I love it,” Carolyn Shargel said.
Elihu Leifer, a retired attorney, has been a volunteer with Food & Friends for about five
years. This nonprofit organization, founded in 1988, distributes meals to people with HIV and AIDS, cancer and other serious illnesses. Approximately once a month, Leifer and a colleague pick up food from designated locations and make deliveries to addresses provided by Food & Friends. Based inWashington, D.C., Food & Friends’ service area includes more than 5,300 miles—as far north as Hagerstown, Md., and as far south as Fredericksburg, Va., according to the nonprofit’s website, foodandfriends.org. There is no economic qualification for recipients. “These people depend on us, and I enjoy chatting with them,” said Leifer.
When Paula and Arthur Post moved here from Long Island, N.Y., Paula Post was ready to do something different. She had retired from Chase Manhattan Bank as an industrial/organizational psychologist. Now, 15 years later, she is involved in a variety of volunteer activities. The Posts usher at Arena Stage, Signature Theatre See VOLUNTEER, 26
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July 2014 | Gazette SENIORS
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