Good news!

    The AARP Smart Drivers course for the public offered last month but “maxed out of space” will be offered again Tuesday.

    Our local Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) will again sponsor the course and it will be led by Bob Glazar, certified AARP instructor and RSVP Advisory Council member. Senior participants will receive a refresher on how to be a smart and safe driver, and learn of changes in recommended driving procedures.

    Graduates of the class then qualify for a discount in their vehicle insurance from their personal insurance companies. Advance reservations are required, so please call Joyce Franklin at 601-482-0512 to sign-up while there’s still room. There is a $15 AARP materials fee for those who are already AARP members, and the fee is $20 for non-members.

    Tax assistance was provided to 500 individuals this year thanks to a cooperative venture between AARP and RSVP.  Even better, it was done at no charge to those who applied for the assistance, which included actual e-filing of their federal and state tax returns.

    On Thursday at the Meridian Activity Center, RSVP will be sponsoring bingo that day. Later in May, designated as “Older American’s Month,” RSVP will also be participating in the Lauderdale County Council on Aging’s annual May 27 Health Fair and Fish Fry at Frank Cochran Center. A display booth will offer more information on RSVP and how to sign-up to participate in RSVP activities.

    RSVP has been a community impact program of United Way of East Mississippi since 1974. United Way understands that volunteers can have critical roles in strengthening our community and helping agencies meet vital needs. RSVP volunteers allow two dozen partnering agencies to expand their capacity to provide services to those individuals who need assistance.

    In addition to volunteering at local non-profit agencies, another activity that RSVP volunteers can choose to do is to help sort school items and clothing donated during United Way’s annual Stuff the Bus campaign, to be scheduled sometime in June. On the 9/11 Day of Remembrance, RSVP volunteers will take baked goods in appreciation of our local responders in Lauderdale County.

    Later in September, RSVP will honor all local volunteers at the “Annual Volunteer Appreciation Day” luncheon celebration, which will include a free lunch for our volunteers, and also door prize giveaways and local entertainment. The 2016 date will be announced in the near future.

    Volunteers in RSVP determine which agency and how many hours they wish to serve each week. The time commitment can vary from a few hours a month to almost full-time, with around four hours a week often typical for many of the volunteers. Some of the examples of how RSVP volunteers serve may be as museum or hospital greeters, assist with registration, help people recover from natural disasters, and/or deliver hot meals to those who need assistance, to name a few. Volunteer sites in our area include American Red Cross, Boy Scouts of America, Love’s Kitchen, and the Salvation Army among 24 local organizations.  

    We encourage those who are 55-plus to contact RSVP and let us help you find options to choose from in working with local non-profits that need another pair of hands, or a special project where you can assist while doing something you enjoy. Evidence shows that older persons who are active and volunteer tend to live longer and live better.

    If you are wondering what you can do to “give back” or to add to the vitality in your own life, please consider volunteering with RSVP, simply by calling 601-482-0512.

    Tom Tabereaux is director of the Meridian/Lauderdale County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program.