Jan Cullinane - The New Retirement

K (as in Martin Luther King) Day of Service ( https://americorps.gov/newsroom/events/mlk-day). This is a national day of service on the third Monday in January in honor of MLK. Suggestions include “tutoring and mentoring children, painting schools and senior centers, delivering meals, building homes, and reflecting on Dr. King's life and teachings.”

Library. Book lover? Contact your local branch and share the love by volunteering to shelve books, assist in clerical work, prepare children's programs, and so forth. I've been on my local library's board of trustees for more than a decade, and am astounded by all the things libraries do beyond lending books and DVDs. And check out all those classics you swore you'd read one day. Donate those books you have laying around that you'll never read/won't read again.

Mentor ( www.mentoring.org). Love their quote: “Potential is equally distributed; opportunity is not.” Fill out a simple form and find mentoring opportunities near you. Or, ask about opportunities at your local church, school, or civic organizations.

Nurture. Being a “baby cuddler” in a NICU is a very popular volunteer activity. Contact your local hospital/children's hospital for specifics on volunteer opportunities and how to apply.

Offer assistance to the elderly and homebound. AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program ( https://americorps.gov/serve/fit-finder/americorps-seniors-senior-companion-program). “Serve as a friend and companion to older neighbors making sure they can live in their own homes for as long as possible.” Must be 55 or better to volunteer.

Poverty reduction through affordable housing. “Housing is the key to reducing intergenerational poverty and increasing economic mobility” according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. Check out Habitat for Humanity ( www.habitat.org). I volunteered on two builds, and learned to lay tile in a kitchen and help erect the outside walls of the house (our group was very closely supervised by someone who knew what they were doing, of course).

Queen for a Day Foundation ( www.foradayfoundation.org). Now renamed “For a Day Foundation,” this charity is “committed to creating emotionally therapeutic experiences for seriously ill children and providing them and their families with a joyful and much needed diversion from the strain of chronic treatment” in the hospital using play-oriented programs like “Queen for a Day” or “Hero for a Day.”

Reading. Volunteer to be a reader to children. Reach out to your public elementary schools and/or public library. Or, contact your local United Way ( www.unitedway.org– look for “Find Your United Way” tab) for other possibilities. Reading is vital for brain and language development, comprehension, and expanding children's imaginations. Be a role model.

Special Olympics ( https://www.specialolympics.org/get-involved/volunteer). Volunteers are needed as “coaches, trainers, officials, event organizers, fundraisers, and managers.” Volunteers can also play “alongside athletes with intellectual disabilities—or fans cheering in the stands.”

Tutoring (Learn to be). Learn to be ( https://www.learntobe.org/apply). “Help K–12 underserved youths in math, science, reading and writing from wherever is most convenient and whenever is most convenient.” Or, contact your local school system for additional options.

Usher. Assist audience members and see performances for free? Contact your community theatre, high school, college theatre department, or performing-arts centers. A win-win.

Voter Registration. Contact your local election office and volunteer to be an election worker. There may be requirements, such as age, residency, and proof that you are a registered voter.

Walk a Shelter Dog. Contact your local shelter. Besides walking a dog, you may want to help in the office, collect donations, or best of all, adopt a furry friend.

Xenophon Therapeutic Riding Center ( http://xenophontrc.org). “To enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities through a high-quality program of equine-assisted therapies.” For additional therapeutic equine programs, see https://www.ridinghome.com/page-us.

Your imagination. What can you do to make a difference or give back? Perhaps think locally: Which of your friends, neighbors, or relatives could use a hand with household or yard chores, grocery shopping, or babysitting? Volunteer to organize a meal train for someone who is ill or whose loved one has passed away; walk dogs for a friend who has had recent surgery.

Zoo. Perhaps for you, “It's all happening at the zoo,” like Simon and Garfunkel sang. Be an exhibit host, assist with day-to-day care of the animals, or perform administrative duties.

This list is a snapshot of volunteer possibilities; training, background checks, and certain time commitments are often required. If you're still looking, go to www.volunteermatch.com, put in your ZIP code and see the opportunities, both in person and virtual, that await.

Research shows it really does feel better to give than to receive. Volunteering is a great use of some of those 168 hours.

“Broadly speaking, human beings can be divided into three classes: Those who are toiled to death, those who are worried to death, and those who are bored to death” (Winston Churchill). If lifelong learning opportunities through classes or volunteering aren't enough, let's explore some other activities that enrich your life by broadening your knowledge, sharpening your skills, improving your health, or that are just plain fun:

Move. I took up tennis in my late 40s, and quickly became a huge devotee. It checks off a lot of what I like – exercise, social support, friendly competition, structure, and enjoying nature (I live in Florida, so it's outside play year-round). Tennis has led to many warm and lasting friendships (and lunches!). If you're looking for something a bit easier on the joints, consider pickleball, which is the fastest-growing sport in America, according to The Economist.If racquet sports aren't your thing, perhaps join a gym (consider a few sessions with a personal trainer to get you on the right track), golf, bowling (a group from our community bowls weekly, with dinner afterward), belly dancing/ballroom/square/swing/line dancing (some studios provide a partner for you if you need one), and swimming and biking (easy on the joints). Snowboarding is so popular among older adults they are called “grays on trays.” Plant a garden. Climb a mountain. Try a SUP (stand-up paddleboard). Of course, there is always walking, which is easy, free, and can be social or solitary. And, if you have a dog, he/she will love it.

Think. Join or start a book club – with your neighbors, through your local library, or online (check out www.goodreads.comfor lots of suggestions). Linda and her husband Pete started a couples' book club in their new neighborhood by mailing an invitation to their neighbors (they didn't know all their names, so just a “Hello Neighbor” and an invite to come to their home on a specific date/time with the book selection included). It was the beginning of a decades-long book club, and decades-long friendships. Or, organize a monthly game night – Euchre, Train Dominoes, Bunco, Pictionary, Mahjong, and so forth. Strengthen your brain by learning a new language or instrument. Do crossword puzzles (I love the free online daily mini-crossword from the New York Times), Sudoku, acrostics, “Words with Friends,” and jigsaw puzzles. Try an “escape room” – work as a team to escape a locked room within an hour by solving clues and puzzles. Addictive and mind stretching.

“Be Curious, Not Judgmental.” Although this phrase is attributed to the poet Walt Whitman, according to Snopes (a fact-checking site), this is not Whitman's quote. However, if you watch/watched the miniseries Ted Lasso, “Be curious, not judgmental” is how the main character approaches life. Ted asks questions; he doesn't jump to conclusions; he's open; he doesn't assume; he explores all possibilities; he doesn't make snap decisions. This fictional character and this phrase are great models for making the most of retirement.The benefits of being curious are backed by science. A 2013 study in Psychological Science found that improved memory was found only in those who engaged in activities that were “unfamiliar and mentally challenging, and that provide broad stimulation mentally and socially.” Examples included quilting and digital photography. The lead researcher in this study, Denise Parks, said this about keeping our minds sharp: “When you are inside your comfort zone you may be outside of the enhancement zone.” Push yourself to do things outside of your wheelhouse.