Thursday, November 26, 2009
Couple retired, then volunteered
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Good Neighbors Fund
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Money donated to The Roanoke Times' Good Neighbors Fund goes to Roanoke Area Ministries' Emergency Financial Assistance Program, which provides one-time help with rent, utility and prescription payments.
The aim is to prevent people from becoming homeless because of an unexpected expense. With thousands of dollars being given out each year to thousands of families and individuals, the agency generates mounds of paperwork.
"We can show [donors] exactly where every penny goes," said Jo-Anne Woody, RAM's administrative assistant. "There is no way I could do all of that alone," she said. So Woody relies heavily on volunteers such as Jo Satchwell.
For the past four years, Satchwell, 70, has been coming in three times a month, working a three-hour shift. Some of her duties include recording payments made to utility companies and drugstores on behalf of those who have received money from the Good Neighbors Fund.
While Satchwell works upstairs, her husband, Charles, 72, mans the front desk downstairs, registering visitors to the charity's day shelter.
"He's very good with the guys," Woody said, referring to the shelter's guests.
"I guess it just comes from our families," Jo Satchwell said about the couple's desire to volunteer. "Our parents grew up during the Depression. They kind of instilled in us that you help."
Charles Satchwell grew up in Roanoke and Jo Satchwell is from Blacksburg. Charles Satchwell was working on his second degree at Virginia Tech when they were set up on a blind date -- a meet-up at a fraternity party. They've been married now for 48 years.
Shortly after Satchwell graduated, they moved to Pennsylvania, where they raised five daughters who now range from 27 to 44 years old.
Although they had always volunteered through their church, the couple didn't really get started with their charity work until after retirement. The Satchwells first heard about RAM through their church, but didn't volunteer until several years later, when they drove by and decided to walk in.
At first they both worked at the front desk. Jo Satchwell later moved to the office upstairs. Since then, "Tim won't let us go," Charles Satchwell said about shelter manager Tim Williams.
"We probably get more out of this than we give," Charles Satchwell said. "It's a good feeling to be able to help a bit."
The couple acknowledge that not everyone can be as active in volunteering as they are.
"As you get older, you realize you can't do it all. But you do what you can," Jo Satchwell said.
