Other volunteers sort books and put them away. Fortunately, the library does not require someone to be present at all times to check out books. “We have a very easy way of borrowing; it’s an honor system,” Stephania says. The library is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so anyone can borrow a book at any time.

Stephania owes the success of the Seabrook library to her career as a librarian and her love of books. “The joy of this volunteering is because of books. I’ve always worked in a library, and the satisfaction is gained from getting the right book to the right person,” she says.

Edith Davidson gets her satisfaction by volunteering off campus for the Red Cross.

When she first started with the Red Cross, Edith worked for what was then called the Service and Military Families Department. “I sent communication to servicemen during times of emergency,” she says. She communicated between servicemen and women and their families, as well as reported the medical and financial needs of veterans to the U.S. government.

Edith has worked at the Jersey Coast Chapter since 1951, and living at Seabrook has enabled her to easily continue her volunteering. “The Red Cross is only about three miles away,” she says. “I work about four hours a week filing and organizing,” she says.

When she’s not at the Red Cross, Edith spends much of her time making quilts and other crafts. She enjoys the productivity volunteering provides her, though. “It gives me something to do that’s worthwhile,” she says.

Productivity is a common reason for volunteering at Seabrook, but it’s not the only one. Volunteering has rewarded Margaret O’Boyle—volunteer and recent recipient of the Seabrook-nominated Most Outstanding Volunteer Effort Recognition Award—in many ways.

“The most profound thing I get out of volunteering is that at the end of the day I have been productive. I feel that I’ve helped,” she says. “And I’ve also met a load of people through it.”

Margaret heads the cubby stuffers, a group of volunteers who put items such as newsletters and fliers into each home’s cubby. Cubbies are “in house” mailboxes, separate from the U.S. Postal Service mailbox, where staff and residents can communicate with each other about Seabrook events, clubs, and other notices.

“In addition to the cubby stuffing, I do anything anyone wants me to do,” Margaret says.

Margaret has surely met Eugene, as volunteer groups help each other. Guided by Seabrook’s Resident Life team, Margaret’s cubby stuffers provide Eugene the assistance he needs to promote his volunteer programs. By forming committees and providing resources, Seabrook works closely with residents to help them pursue opportunities they have always wanted to do, or ones they have only just realized.

“When I come forward with ideas, I discuss them with the people in Resident Life. Whatever assistance I need they have always been there in any way they possibly could to make it easier for me,” Eugene says.

For Eugene, Stephania, Edith, and Margaret, as with most volunteers, the reward is intangible. As Eugene says, “The biggest reward that someone gets as a volunteer is the satisfaction of seeing someone’s eyes. Not the ‘thank you,’ not the pat on the back. But to see the reaction of people when you know that they appreciate something and it was something that they needed.”