Volunteer: Rob Wagley

By Bill Krasean, Senior Services, RSVP Advisory Council Volunteer

When Rob Wagley was a young man working for a radio station in Toledo, he joined Big Brothers - Big Sisters and was matched with a 15-year old boy who was in juvenile detention. He was a nice kid, Rob said, but had followed the wrong friends. “I worked with him until he aged out of the program, and I moved on to another job,” Rob said. Twenty-fi ve years and several jobs later, Rob heard from the young man, now married and working in the medical fi eld. “I don’t know what I did for him, but he told me I was a positive infl uence on his life.” Rob, 65 and now retired, was touched by the unexpected compliment, although he had long followed the urge to be a volunteer.

A 1978 graduate of Michigan State University in Telecommunications, Rob has worked in radio and television sales management in a number of cities, starting in Detroit and including among other cities, Atlanta, Columbus, Lansing and Kalamazoo. “I sold air,” he said, referring to his work to have companies and others purchase “airtime” during broadcasts. “When I fi rst started, I wanted to have on-air time myself, but opted for sales.”

After moving to Kalamazoo, he took a job raising funds for the United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo region, retiring in 2017. Over the years he had volunteered in a variety of ways, including his church. About 15 years ago, while playing golf alone at Eastern Hills Golf Course he caught up with three women on the course and was offered the chance to join them. One of them ultimately became his wife, Christine. Both had long been interested in volunteering and in 2020 they joined AmeriCorps Seniors RSVP. RSVP is a national service program of Milestone Senior Services (previously known as Senior Services of Southwest Michigan) that connects older adult volunteers with area organizations. They joined Meals on Wheels, a volunteerbased service that has been delivering nutritious meals to vulnerable adults since 1960. Meals on Wheels can provide up to two meals a day, seven days a week. Since that time, and despite the pandemic, both have continued to deliver meals, taking care to maintain the necessary precautions to reduce their risk personally and for the people they visit. “Part of the reason that I volunteer,” Robs said, “is a way to pay it forward: I hope that if I ever need help there will be someone to help me. And despite the epidemic’s problems, Meals on Wheels has been a way for us to keep active, a way for us to get out of the house and help the people.” Milestone Senior Services (previously known as Senior Services of Southwest Michigan) is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. AmeriCorps Seniors empowers people age 55 and older to serve their communities. RSVP helps people fi nd a volunteer opportunity that fi ts their passion. There are currently opportunities in Kalamazoo County and a few in Calhoun County. Volunteers are needed with Meals on Wheels, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Telephone Reassurance for Seniors, Milestone Home Repair, and more. Regular, fl exible schedules available. Contact RSVP at 269-382-0515 or apply to volunteer at www.milestoneseniorservices.org.