After he retired, Bob Forrest’s career really took off. During the past five years, Forrest has been a legal mediator, an income tax specialist and a math tutor.
And he didn’t hold any of these positions until after his retirement in 1987 from a department store chain, where he served as a buyer and merchandise manager.
“When I retired from the business world,” Forrest says, “I didn’t want to fish or play golf every day. I wanted to do something more.”
So Forrest and his wife of 55 years, Mary Kathryn called the Volunteer Center to learn how he could become involved in his new community. He was referred to the Senior Citizens of Greater Dallas’ Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP), a program that matches retired individuals with agencies needing help.
Forrest was interested in the legal field, so he was placed at Dispute Mediation Services, an agency that seeks to reduce the workload in small claims courts by utilizing volunteer mediators to settle claims.
Volunteer mediators do not need a professional legal background. Instead, they receive 40 hours of training. Once trained, mediators meet with people who have filed claims. Cases cover such diverse issues as family and neighborhood disputes, employee and tenant problems, car repair complaints and divorce cases, Forrest says.
“When you hear these cases, you want to help. These people are in trouble and they don’t know where to turn,” he says.
Some claimants voluntarily take their cases to mediation, hoping to solve their problems quickly and inexpensively. Others are ordered by judges to mediation before appearing in small claims court.
In either case, it is up to volunteers such as Forrest to help the two parties reach a settlement.
“When you reach an agreement, it is signed by both parties,” Forrest says. “They are bound to abide by the decision that has been made.”
The Texas Attorney General’s office also coordinates a mediation program through its consumer protection division. Consumers who believe they have been misled can file claims with the Attorney General’s office. Forrest works with both parties, usually over the phone, to settle the manner.
And at the Better Business Bureau, Forrest serves as an arbitrator instead of a mediator. Instead of helping two parties come to a settlement, the arbitrator listens to both parties and then makes a final decision.
Forrest also has assisted senior citizens with their income tax returns and taught math to high school dropouts. His volunteer experiences have been varied and rewarding.
“Volunteering makes you feel like you’re contributing something,” Forrest says. “Even if you didn’t have time in the past, now you have the chance to help someone.”
RSVP volunteer opportunities range from sorting clothes at a homeless shelter or writing a newsletter for a museum to answering phones at a community center. If you are a retired senior citizen and would like more information about how you can become involved in RSVP, call the Volunteer Center at 826-6767.
Volunteer Opportunities
The Volunteer Center is a United Way agency that serves as a clearinghouse to recruit and refer volunteers for more than 750 agencies in Dallas. Thousands of volunteer positions are waiting to be filled. Call the Volunteer Center at 826-6767 for more information about these and other volunteer opportunities.
FALL INTO THE FUN at the Dallas Arboretum’s fall festival. Volunteers are needed Oct. 3-25 to help with a variety of activities. Volunteers can direct parking, provide membership information to guests, help with concessions sales or assist with the children’s activities. Volunteers also can serve as garden guides and DeGolyer House hosts and hostesses.
SHHHHHH! The Da Vinci School in Lake Highlands needs volunteers to organizes materials in its resource library and to make educational materials for 18-month-old through six-year-old students. Volunteers also can assist classroom teachers, coordinate fundraising events.
ADD SOME SUNSHINE to the lives of patients in area hospitals. A.R.T.S. For People is a nonprofit agency providing art and entertainment for hospital patients and indigent clients. Volunteers can entertain clients, help plan events and exhibits, make speaking presentations or assist with public relations. Volunteers who enjoy performing music, magic and puppetry also are welcome.
