Rhoda Christian is a positive force within the volunteering community

Sedalia resident Rhoda Christian has a packed schedule. Mondays are spent working as a cashier at Open Door Ministries; Tuesdays, she plays cards; Wednesdays, she spends six or seven hours at Bothwell Regional Health Center; and Thursdays are for volunteering at the Sedalia Senior Center.

“On Friday, I rest,” Christian said with a laugh. “Well, unless I’m needed somewhere else.”

While her schedule isn’t set in stone — Christian said various organizations will call, asking if she might like to volunteer that day, so she may spend three days at the hospital and volunteer at Open Door every other week — it does keep her busy, which is exactly what she planned.

“Nine years ago my husband died,” Christian said. “A neighbor of ours was volunteering at the hospital and suggested I start volunteering, too. I needed something to do to keep me busy, so I agreed and I haven’t stopped since.”

Christian credits volunteer work with keeping her young and encourages other seniors to volunteer as well.

“A lot of seniors I know, they don’t really need the money but they do need something to do to keep them from just sitting around all day,” Christian said. “I tell everyone they should volunteer — it makes you feel good and it’s a lot of fun.”

Sedalia Senior Center County Services Director Tami Hesseltine agreed with Christian’s idea of volunteering keeping her young. Studies have shown that volunteers have better, more positive attitudes toward life, Hesseltine said.

“The absolute worst thing an older adult can do is just sit in a recliner all day,” she added. “The old saying, ‘If you don’t use it, you lose it,’ is true when it comes to senior citizens. By volunteering, Rhoda is definitely keeping her body and mind active.”

Christian, who turns 82 next month, does have criteria for volunteering — she doesn’t like to have to stand for long periods of time and, most importantly, she has to be able to talk.

“Oh my goodness, if there was a volunteer position where I couldn’t talk to people, I’d have to quit,” Christian said. “I love talking to people. That’s half the fun of volunteering anyway, meeting and getting to know people.”

Aside from volunteering, Christian said she loves to travel. She and her late husband went on tours of Europe visiting the United Kingdom, Ireland and even Budapest.

“We were on one of those group tours and my husband grumbled a bit about going to Budapest. He said, ‘We don’t need to go there,’ ” she said. “But I told him, ‘Why yes, we too are going there.’ It was beautiful, I’ll never forget it.”

But as much as she loves to visit new places, Christian said she’d never move from Sedalia.
“I’ve lived here since I was 6 years old,” she said. “I couldn’t imagine living anyplace else. I have too many friends here and, of course, all my volunteer work.”

“I’m not sure we could get along without Rhoda, she’s such a positive force for us,” Hesseltine said. “It’s wonderful to see her with the other seniors, just laughing and talking away.”

Christian plans to volunteer for as long as possible, saying the work saved her.

“I’m not sure what would’ve happened if I didn’t start volunteering,” Christian said. “It keeps me happy and that’s what’s most important.”