Ahhhh, retirement. Finally. No more alarm clocks. No more meetings where you have to embrace the latest company buzzword or metric.
None of that stuff. Anymore.
Only, after a few months of doing not much of anything, it hits you… that itch to do something productive and fulfilling again. And that’s where volunteering pops into your head. And why not? It’s an absolutely perfect gig for a retired dude who what’s to feel useful – without having to forego the right to take an afternoon nap.
Can we be honest Retired guys make the best volunteers. How come? Simple. Retired guys have the time, skills, and patience. Oh yeah – plus that unending desire to prove we still know more than anyone else around us.
Here are some reasons why every nonprofit, charity, and community organization ought to be scrapping over you like you’re the last roll of toilet paper at a chili party:
- We’re actually gonna show up on time
We’ve spent our entire adult lives being conditioned to show up early for everything. None of those “roll in at noon” stunts that young people want to pull. Heck, after decades spent avoiding butt-chewings by bosses for being late, we’ve totally got this one nailed. - We know how to fix stuff
How sad is it these days? Millennials may know how to two-handed text someone without looking at their phones, but confront them with a flat tire and see what happens. That’s when they start Googling or checking to see if you can get a tire changed using DoorDash. On the flip side, we’ve got Swiss Army Knives in our pockets and know how to fix most anything with Duct Tape. - We don’t complain (too much, anyway)
Oh sure – we might tell you how bad our knees hurt or about the latest catch in our backs, but we get the job done. We’re not there to sit around and take breaks. We’re there to make things happen, tell the same story several times, finish up, and head off in time to catch that early bird special deal for seniors at the local eatery. - We have a lifetime of completely useless knowledge to share…
And believe you me buddy, we are gonna share it, too. Whether you want it or now, we’re about to provide you with an almost endless stream of wisdom we’ve acquired through years of firsthand experience. Take library duty, for example. You think we don’t know all about the Dewey Decimal System? Come on. Think again. We know all about it. All those trips to the library in junior high school made sure of that. And get comfortable. We’re about to tell you all about it. - We’ve got great stories (and buddy, you know we’re gonna share them)
What do youngsters know? We’re not gonna miss our big chance to enrich all their lives as we regale them with story after store about the first time we saw a fax machine work, using our first TV remote control, or how everything changed when attaching a document to an email became a real thing. - We take what we’re doing seriously
Okay, well maybe not too seriously. We know volunteering’s important and we’re proud to help. We also know that we’re here to help others without undue stress. Hey, if we wanted performance reviews and coaching talks, we’d still be working. - We’re natural leaders
We have survived countless inept bosses over our careers. Maybe we weren’t actually in management during our working years, but we got an endless education in what not to do. We do it the logical way. We explain what needs to be done, we delegate, we support, and we let people get things done. Easy peasey. - We’re thrilled to work for coffee and a little conversation
Heck – give us a hot cup of coffee and someone in our proximity to talk nonstop to about the good old days – and we’re happy as can be. For us, volunteering is as much about socializing with friendly people as it is doing good for others. It’s a true win-win for everyone involved. (Maybe a little less so for the person who’s now hearing the same story for the third time.)
Some final thoughts…
If you need a volunteer, you should be checking out retired dudes. Retired guys understand commitment. They’re dependable, have mad skills, and are more than happy to help. And if you’re a retired dude, you should give volunteering a looksee. Hey – there’s no better opportunity to connect with other people and do something good for others – all while fixing things nobody else knew were even broken, teaching young people what it was like back when things were really tough, and telling an endless string of less-than-stellar jokes. We know you are up for the task!
So what are you waiting for? Get out there and volunteer, dude.
