Ron Douglass isn’t your typical houseguest. If he sees something that needs doing, you won’t find him twiddling his thumbs and waiting for someone else to take care of it; rather, he’ll roll up his sleeves and get to work! So, it’s no surprise that when he came for a visit at Broadview and saw a number of volunteer spots open during the holidays, he jumped in and filled them himself. “I was glad to help out and read for the residents and patients. After all, I was there, so it was pretty convenient, and I enjoyed it!”
After a few weeks of filling in regularly and seeing Tracy, our Activity and Volunteer Coordinator, do the same, he realized that scheduling volunteers is no small task and asked himself, “What can I do to be a greater help?” An aficionado of technology, Ron turned to the internet for ideas and found his solution in a scheduling platform called Volunteer Spot.
“I didn’t know how it would work at first,” he said, “but everything is managed online, and therefore, it can be done from anywhere, so I could still oversee it after returning home. It’s really worked well as a communication and scheduling tool to keep everyone up-to-date.”
“He is a tremendous help,” Tracy gushes when asked about Ron. “There had been a shift to more volunteers who were volunteering less often, making scheduling more complicated. Ron has put into place a strategy where our volunteers are now helping each other in scheduling and working as a team. This frees me up to focus more on the other various monthly activities that we do for patients and residents. Ron was definitely heaven-sent, and I’m very grateful!” So are we.
In addition to this newfound role, Ron keeps on the go with several other activities. Currently residing in Healdsburg, CA, he’s First Reader and Treasurer at his local Christian Science Society, a volunteer for Reading Rocks – a reading program for 1st graders, and an avid traveler who is planning to visit his 50th state in June to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary to his lovely wife, Judy. With two daughters, three grandchildren, and the occasional visit to the L.A. Opera, we are honored Ron has chosen to include Broadview in his many wonderful activities!
Oh, and what does Ron say when asked what his title here is? “Well,” he grins, “I’m Tracy’s assistant, of course!”