Sandy Holcomb – April 2020 Volunteer Spotlight
I was one of the original members of the steering committee that was formed in August 2005, when a group of parish nurses received one of the last start up grants awarded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. There were just 9 of us with Karen Zangerle representing PATH, our fiduciary agent. We had $25,000 with a promise of $10,000 more, if we could raise $10,000. . .no director, no experience in forming a not-for-profit. Fortunately, I had met Bobbi Hynes , who had been a FIA director previously in Danville. She was excited to take on the challenge of leading our start-up. We wrote the by-laws and incorporated with our own 501.c3 designation and the rest is history.
When FIA began, my job was to Director of Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) where I helped individuals 55 and older find meaningful volunteers opportunities in McLean County. Needless to say I placed several volunteers in FIA. Over the years I have done just about everything. I have been a board member 12.5 years: serving as president, vice president overseeing volunteers, original treasurer and numerous committees. I was even interim director for 5 weeks while we searched for a new director. Fund raising has always been important to me starting with our little ice cream social in the park, and the Funks Grove Rest Stop coffee and lemonade stand over Memorial Day Weekend. I’ve chaired the Gala twice and chaired the acquisition team twice and so on. What I enjoy is working the office transportation desk and talking to all the volunteers. And when I can’t find a volunteer to drive. . .I do it myself. A couple years back my husband joined me in FIA as a driver. He loves interacting with our care receivers too. We feel blessed to be able to serve our senior neighbors in need.
We’ve lived in Bloomington for 30 years now. I was a dairy farmer’s daughter from Modesto, CA, when I was born. My dad then used his GI bill from WW II (submariner) to get a degree in mathematics and became a programmer for Lockheed Aircraft in the San Fernando Valley (LA County). I graduated from CA State Univ. Northridge, married in ’75 and began a career as a commercial property underwriter for Aetna Life & Casualty. When the girls (Marilyn, Barbara and Michele) came along I took some time off to be a mom and baby-sat for friends so they could go to work. When the kids started school, I went back to work part-time in an independent insurance agency. Then State Farm promoted my husband, Ken, to Auto General Claims Consultant in Bloomington and so here we are and not going anywhere. We have one miracle grandson here. Joseph was born premature at 1 lb 4.5 oz. He is the light of our lives. Our second grandson, Keanu in Seattle is due in August. He is half Hawaiian.
Since retiring we had enjoyed traveling but we are sticking closer to home now that my 91 year-old mom has come to live with us. I still enjoy playing Pinochle and Bunco with friends. I’ve recently started doing easy crossword puzzles to dust off my brain a little. LOL.
I grew up hearing a lot of “I could-a”, “I wished would-a.” . . I’ve tried to live my life learning from the past and then looking toward the future. I’ve also lived life like the Robert Frost poem about two roads diverged in a wood. . .I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.