By Setarreh Massihzadegan
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE

From daily athletics and card games to nightly music and entertainment, volunteers are making things happen at Brooksby. In the annual volunteer appreciation event held recently, members of Brooksby’s staff thanked the more than 700 volunteers, including 100 from the outside community, with a magic show in the catering room of the McIntosh Clubhouse.

“Without all these people sharing their gifts with the community, it’d be just room and board,” says Volunteer Program Coordinator Tom Cook, who organized the appreciation event.

Start-up activities
Like other Erickson communities, Brooksby is shaped by people who share their hobbies and talents with others who live there. Every activity—from Brooksby’s Radio Amateur Group to the in-house television station, TV9—is either led by residents or supported by them.

“It’s really important for us to create a community that celebrates life,” Cook says.

Anyone who wants to start a club or group can simply go to the various community resources coordinators at Brooksby and get help publicizing the new activity. If costly equipment or materials are needed, the group leader can appeal to the Treasure Chest, the community’s secondhand store whose board is responsible for distributing funds to activities within Brooksby.

“The volunteers make it [the place to be],” says Lenny Yanofsky, who lives at Brooksby and volunteers much of his time as a teacher and player of billiards and in the Treasure Chest.

Every department
Volunteers also keep the community going with their contributions to nearly every department— from Renaissance Gardens, Brooksby’s health care neighborhood, to the fitness center.

Betty Fish didn’t stop at just one department. She keeps track of participation at the fitness center and sorts mail for the medical center.

“I know I’m helping someone, and it gives me a good feeling; I’m doing  something that I like,” she says of her work.