Silence engulfed the shop. No whirs of the band saw or whines of the drill press. No shuffling of sneakers across the concrete floor thick with sawdust. No shouts for a an extra screw or fine-grit sandpaper.
But from behind the white door marked “Office” came a murmur. Inside sat two men, Mike and Roger, wearing neon green “VOLUNTEER” shirts and talking about the next task.
Break time was almost over.
Volunteers provide essential support to ECHO’s mission by completing tasks around campus like maintenance, office work, and leading tours. They graciously donate their time to support work that changes lives and, in turn, improves their own.
“Volunteering adds a lot of meaning to your life,” volunteer Mike Wright said. “Doing things for yourself doesn’t give the same intrinsic value.”
Roger Ruth, 82, and Mike Wright, 67, drilled holes into outside walls of the Price Center to hang metal shutters in case of a hurricane. Armed with a power drill, Ruth explained the necessity of his project.
Without the shutters, 150-mile-per-hour winds could shatter the windows and destroy the inside of the building. As he spoke, he made sure to watch for fire ants that crawled near the base of his ladder, a task he’s mastered after seven years at ECHO.
Back at the retirement community where they live, they could be walking waterfront trails, working out in the wellness center, or building tables and sculptures of fish in the woodshop. But they choose to spend their time at ECHO.
A part of every volunteer’s orientation experience, tours provide an opportunity to learn about the mission they are helping to further. When Wright finished his first tour of ECHO, he drove home and convinced his wife to visit.
Chances are that Wright’s tour guide was a volunteer as well. Someone like Doug Keno, a docent who has been giving time to ECHO for the past nine years.
Keno began at ECHO fixing farm equipment and changing light bulbs once per week before signing up for docent training. Once certified, he started leading three to five tours each week, a frequency he still maintains.
Keno makes sure that, like him, everybody learns. When he was recruited to ECHO by the late docent, Dr. Vic, he learned more about agriculture than he thought he had room for, having grown up on a farm in Wisconsin.
He saw ECHO as a reality check, an experience that made him aware of what he has and what others don’t. And he wants everyone to feel the same feeling.
After every tour, he asks his guests to do him a favor. Tell someone about ECHO.
“I want to convince people to volunteer at ECHO, donate to ECHO,” Keno said. “Because there are a lot of people struggling who need help.”
Before new volunteers even come on a tour, they are introduced to ECHO by brochures or flyers or postcards. That’s thanks to advancement volunteers like Lala Lindsey.
Lindsey, 88, volunteers regularly in the public relations department. She folds brochures, cuts postcards, and organizes materials that promote ECHO’s mission.
“ECHO opened up my mind to what’s going on in different areas,” Lindsey said. “I appreciate that we are teaching people to grow their own food.”
Alongside her office work, she organizes books in the library and prepares salads for special events. Sometimes she even gets to gather fresh produce right from the gardens.
Volunteers keep ECHO functioning. They install shutters and lead tours and fold brochures with no monetary compensation. Their generosity allows donor funds to be funneled directly into ECHO’s research, agriculture, and mission.
While ECHO gives to the world, volunteers give to ECHO.
“They are a vital part of our mission,” Volunteer Coordinator Libby Arcia said. “They strengthen the ECHO effect and we are so grateful for their service!”
