Rich

Rich was on disability when he moved to Bloomington seventeen years ago after retiring as an account executive with a newspaper in Charlotte, NC. He and his wife, Carol, moved to Bloomington to be closer to their daughter and her family. 

However, after Carol died seven years ago, Rich struggled to get to doctor’s appointments and to the grocery store. Faith in Action was recommended to him, and he was able to maintain his independence.

“I couldn’t have done without Faith in Action. It wasn’t only getting rides to appointments but connecting with others that gave me a lifeline. It gave me a purpose. I often wondered what my life was supposed to be like without Carol. Faith in Action gives me purpose,” Rich shares.

Some Faith in Action care receivers start as volunteers with our organization but rarely do care receivers become volunteers. However, that is the case with Rich, age 71. Rich was misdiagnosed with a medical condition for 19 years and suffered from memory loss. Once his team of doctors accurately diagnosed what was causing his confusion, quick relief was found, and his life was transformed.

Even when Rich was a care receiver and received rides, he was also a volunteer. That is just his nature. He is part of the Friendly Phone Call program and started calling Peter, today age 90, four years ago.

“For the past four years Peter and I have talked on the phone every other week. We usually chat about 30 to 45 minutes. Peter was a former literature teacher, and he recommends books for me to read – usually the classics including books by Shakespeare, Mark Twain, Nathanial Hawthorne and the like – and then we discuss it during a future call. We’ve both gained a lot out of our relationship. We never run out of things to talk about,” Rich adds.

And, just days ago, Rich and Peter met for the first time.

On a recent phone call Peter indicated he wanted to attend church after a long absence. Being of the same faith, Rich volunteered to drive Peter to a Sunday service. The two met at Peter’s doorstep and were both in shock. “I had talked to Peter for five years and knew so much about him but to finally meet him was a blessing. I wasn’t sure it was him when he opened the door. He is a spry healthy-looking 90! However, when he spoke, the cadence of his voice brought me back to those countless hours on the telephone,” Rich adds.

Attending Mass together was powerful. “We walked in and knelt together in prayer,” Rich says. “Being a Faith in Action volunteer gives me a sense of purpose, of giving back. When I was sick all those years ago, I prayed to God to give me my life back. Once I had an opportunity to help someone – to pay it forward – I did. This is what I was called to do.”

The pair plan to attend future church services together. When Peter asked how the two could meet again, Rich said simply, “Call Faith in Action and ask for Rich!”

In addition to the Friendly Phone Call program, Rich drives about 14 times a month. He says he fits his volunteer work around his Bible study on Wednesday mornings. “It fits like a puzzle. I can carve out time for what I need to do while still serving my community,” Rich says. He is also active in the Knights of Columbus where he helps them fundraise and support Habitat for Humanity, Miracle League, Special Olympics, and of course, Faith in Action.

“I don’t watch television anymore,” Rich quips. “Between my assigned reading and Bible study and other volunteering, who has time? It is a joy volunteering at Faith in Action. It has given more to me than I could ever give back.”