Tom discovered The Center by being in the right place at the right time. While attending a Cary Chamber of Commerce event in the fall of 2025, Tom and his wife met a few of The Center’s staff members when they shared a bistro table. He learned more about the organization, how it supported local families and decided to give volunteering a try. At that time, he had been retired for about nine months and was looking for ways to fill his free time.
Taking that leap of faith led him to what he now considers a rewarding part of his weekly routine. Tom volunteers in both the Caregiver Respite and In-Home Connections Programs. About once a week, he visits Tony to provide Tony’s wife with some respite time and helps Mary with her grocery shopping.
With Tony, Tom’s visits are filled with jam sessions — Tony on the guitar and Tom on the ukelele — and time spent talking about everything from current events to everyday life. They enjoy playing and singing John Denver, folk, and bluegrass songs. Often, Tony’s wife gets out of the house to get some things done for herself and get a much-needed break from caregiving. Other times, she stays and enjoys the conversations and music.
When he visits Mary, they spend time chatting before and after he goes grocery shopping for her. They talk about all kinds of topics, but he especially enjoys talking to her about their shared interests in animals.
Tom has appreciated feeling the difference he is making in people’s lives. Whether he is sharing music, conversation, or companionship, each visit feels meaningful to him. “The most rewarding part is feeling like you’re helping someone,” he shared. “You build a good relationship with someone and help them with things they need help with. Things you take for granted, like grocery shopping, can be difficult, and you’re able to make it easier.”
When he is not volunteering, Tom loves teaching lifelong learning classes through The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at NC State University, mostly recently having taught a fascinating course about octopuses. Always eager to learn something new, he loves exploring new topics and sharing that curiosity with others.
Looking back, there is one thing Tom wishes he had done differently . . . Volunteer sooner! He shared that this experience has been well worth his time and he wishes that he had been doing it for years. He encourages others to take a chance and try something new.
We are grateful for Tom’s dedication, compassion, and willingness to share his time and talents with the caregivers and care receivers we serve.
