Gloria Bender and Barbara Peitz
Bessie Helper at work.
Henny Garfield
SE NI O R P OWER
They are retired from their careers,
but these seniors just keep on working.
KIMBERLY LIFTON
STAFF WRITER
GLENN TRIEST
PHOTOGRAPHY
ulius Schlussel, 63, of
Oak Park, spent 34
years in the grocery
business. He worked
long, hard shifts — 10 to
12 hours a day, six days
a week.
But in 1986, Mr.
Schlussel, then 57, had
a massive heart attack
that forced him into early re-
tirement. A self-professed
workaholic, he had some
trouble adjusting to all the
free time.
"I just quit work cold
turkey," he recalls. "But to
relax. Well, I didn't know
what that word meant. I
went crazy."
Soon he discovered a new
calling in the volunteer busi-
ness.
Mr. Schlussel today is one
of 47 retirees working at one
of nine different job sites
through the Jewish Voca-
tional Service Volunteer Ser-
vice Corps. Launched in
1978, the corps provides
work opportunities and
ety is looking for volunteers
transportation for home-
to file and do some clerical
bound seniors at least one
work, and Sinai needs some-
day a week.
one to help package medical
"It is a great mitzvah,"
supplies in the surgical pro-
says Mr. Schlussel, who
cessing department.
works one day a week at
In addition, Hillel Day
Sinai Hospital as a Corps
School needs an individual to
representative. "You meet a
type tribute cards.
lot of nice people."
_ The corps began after a
You may see these people
needs assessment of aged
behind the counter at the
clients and community ser-
Maple-Drake Jewish Com-
vices showed that seniors felt
munity Center gift shop, or
isolated and many no longer
stuffing envelopes and
believed they were worth-
preparing mass mailings up-
stairs in the cultural arts de- . while, contributing members
of society.
partment. Seniors also work
at Sinai Hospi-
tal, Jewish In-
formation
Service, Hillel
Day School, the
JVS workshop,
Henry Ford Hos-
pital, Fresh Air
Society and the
Holocaust
Memorial Cen-
ter.
Currently,
Fresh Air Soci- Members of the Volunteer Service Corps
Most were retired from
long careers, and they had no
consistent, structured vol-
unteer program that provid-
ed transportation. Many did
not drive.
Initially, the program was
funded through a two-year
Max M. Fisher Foundation
grant, which included provi-
sions for a full-time coordi-
nator and door-to-door van
service for volunteers. Today,
it is funded through the Fed-
eration. Agencies utilizing
the Service Corps pay for
transportation.
At first, many
were skeptical
about the corps.
Would insur-
ance costs go up
because of a
possible in-
crease in work-
related acci-
dents with use
of elderly volun-
teers? Would
they be able to
complete tasks
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