The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program looks back at September, names Volunteer of the Month for October, and looks forward to a busy finish for the rest of 2011.

    Our 9/11 event was a great success for a first-time event, due in large to our wonderful volunteers who baked goods and donated them, helped organize the event and volunteered in Lauderdale, Kemper and Clarke counties on Sept. 11. I am so proud of all the volunteers and the general public who donated goods to help us serve first responders for what they do in our communities.

    Sept. 17-23 was Senior Corps Week and we celebrated this occasion with a picnic in the park on Sept. 23 to honor all our volunteers for service to their community. We had a wonderful, sunny day for our celebration at Bonita Park. We shared a meal, sang songs, had speakers and honored our volunteers of the month.

    Ms. Sandra McMullan was honored as our Volunteer of the Month for October.

    Sandra joined RSVP on Feb. 25, 2003, and has been such an asset to our program. She has such a musical background (she plays the violin) and volunteers for many of our locations. Sandra also volunteers for AARP, helping seniors fill out their taxes.    Volunteers like Sandra – and many of our other volunteers – also volunteer at their perspective churches. If you see any of our honorees please thank them for the service they give to others.

    On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be training interested persons to become certified tax preparers through the Internal Revenue Service. This training is free of charge and there are no income or age requirements. We only ask that you volunteer through our office to fill out taxes for low income/elderly and disabled individuals and families.

    If you would like to join our training, please call our office.

    We will also be assisting elderly/disabled individuals beginning in November by providing volunteers and notaries at our office to do living wills, wills and power of attorney choices. This service like all of our services will be free to those who need the help.

    In December, we hope to have another tea party at the Lauderdale County Welcome Center to welcome visitors into our state. We will welcome them with music and songs as well as the food. If you have not visited the Welcome Center, you should stop in and see what they can tell you about the state you live in. Our volunteers really enjoy helping out here when needed.

    We have new volunteers who are helping bring new life into the program, please join us if you are looking for volunteer opportunities.

    If you are a non-profit in need of volunteers to reach your mission goals, please give our office a call or drop by 721 Front Street Ext., Suite 760 (Acme Plaza or call us at (601) 482-0512.

• Diana S. Glover is director of RSVP of Meridian/Lauderdale County.