Each week, Tina Lopez donates 20 hours driving, picking up groceries for and visiting with senior citizens.

“Tina has been in the program for about two years,” said Cheri Christensen, administrative assistant and recruiter for the Senior Companion Program. “Every week, she works with about 10 to 12 clients who she visits, takes on errands and provides companionship for. She is always upbeat, very caring and puts her whole heart into her volunteering.”

Lopez, a retired nurse from Orem, began volunteering with the Senior Companion program through Mountainland Association of Governments because she wanted to find a better way to spend her time.

“I had retired from the hospital, and I tried a couple of other things,” Lopez said. “I started to stay home, but that wasn’t good enough for me. There are so many people out there who really need you. I would hope if I ever need someone someday, someone would come and talk to me. They can get pretty lonely, but it gives them something to really look forward to, especially if there is a set time and date.”

According to Lopez, what she does it not hard.

“I either take them to get groceries or I get groceries for them,” she said. “Some of them just want me to sit with them.”

Lopez said she feels serving has helped her as much as the older women she helps. She and her clients form close friendships and enjoy the time they spend together. Lopez said she has learned valuable lessons about attitude from some of her clients.

“You learn to appreciate what they are like and how strong they are,” she said. “People are so strong. Some of my clients have so many things going on, but they never complain.”

Lopez recommends volunteering with the Senior Companion Program because she said she gains so much from her experiences.

“I think it is rewarding because I feel like if I wasn’t doing this, I wouldn’t be doing anything,” Lopez said. “This gives me a chance to give somebody else something to look forward to and they also give back to me in their own way. We become really good friends. I would recommend it for others. I think it is important for us to feel like we are doing something good.”

For more information on volunteering with the Senior Companion Program, contact Cheri Christensen at 801-851-7784.

Teenagers Volunteer to Give Back to the