Can we be of help?

We looked for volunteer opportunities as a way to feel useful and a chance to meet people. One morning a week we go to the library in Placerville. Our job is 'shelf reading'. We scan the shelves, book by book, and restore order. The Dewey Decimal System is a pain in the butt and it makes no more sense to me than it ever did. The job is undemanding, but not unpleasant and not without its small rewards.

It's intriguing to see which shelves are in disarray, presumably indicating heavy use. The gardening and bird-watching sections were the two messiest I have seen to date. I was dismayed to note that the shelves of books about social activism and working for societal change seemed untouched, while the many publications of Ann Coulter, darling of right-wing conservatives, had clearly been off the shelf and out the door.

Today I browsed a hefty section on what to do in your older years. One book, called Still Making Waves promised ideas about all the wonderful things you can still contribute, even on the wrong side of 60. It was a bit of a mixed message, though. A big sticker on the spine indicated that this was a Large Print Edition. Another book I shifted this morning was called The Complete Idiot's Guide to Fasting. Yeah, like there would be some other kind of person who would want to fast.
One fringe benefit: the library sells used magazines for $1 or less, so each week I pick up a handful, and bring them back next time.

Our other voluntary spot is a thrift shop operated by the Snowline Hospice. We stopped in during our first week here to pick up a few household items. The store was bright, clean and well-stocked. Their publications and high profile community sponsors convinced us that they provided an excellent hospice service. We now go to their Cameron Park store on Friday mornings. I help with stocking and display while Jim goes to the back room and tests small appliances and electronics with the other old guys.

Most of the volunteers are older women who have been doing this work together for many years. They are funny and fiesty. The store is a social outlet and an important part of their lives. Jim notes that their are several Mecedes in the parking lot when we arrive. I'm not sure where the ladies get their cars, but I know where they get their clothes -- and they look great in them!