Myrtle Andersen has been volunteering for many years in our community and due to her extraordinary contributions has been named the United Way & Volunteer Services October Volunteer of the Month for her dedication to volunteerism.
As a retired eighth grade math teacher, Andersen enjoys spending time at Beadle Elementary School working with the first graders. “I get great joy in seeing the little first graders do their work and knowing they are progressing,” Andersen said. Some of her past students still recognize her and are thankful for her efforts. “Some of them are even through college!”
As well as volunteering at Beadle Elementary School, Andersen participates in the Sack Pack program. Sack Pack is a nonprofit organization which provides sacks of easy to prepare, nutritious food to be distributed to school age children who are at risk of hunger on the weekends.
“The retired teachers volunteer to do the Sack Pack program but it's my job to organize things and get everyone there on Wednesdays,” Andersen said. “The program helps younger kids that do not have food over the weekend. We fill the sacks and take them to the schools where the kids can take them home.”
Andersen is also actively involved with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Retired Teachers Association and devotes time to the United Way & Volunteer Services and the Yankton Chamber of Commerce by helping with their mass mailings.
“Whenever these organizations need help they call me and I go to work. I help by mailing and filling envelopes for the Chamber meetings and I also work on the United Way mass mailings by putting things in envelopes whenever they get them ready to mail.”
According to Deb Overseth, RSVP Program Coordinator, “Myrtle has been a faithful and active volunteer for the last nine years.” For RSVP alone, Myrtle has put in over 2,245 hours of service to nonprofit organizations throughout Yankton. “She also serves on our RSVP Advisory Council, and is always willing and offering to participate in all activities,” says Overseth.
Andersen also volunteers at the Avera Sacred Heart Hospital information desk as well as her church organization, Catholic Daughters of America.
“Being involved with these organizations led to one thing and then another,” Andersen said. “People ask for help with projects and I am more than willing to help them. I used to be an extraordinary minister at church and after asking to be relieved from that, I now take calls and count money on Mondays.”
Myrtle enjoys spending her free time volunteering and loves playing bridge. “I used to teach bridge,” Andersen said. “Now that I'm playing more, I have some of my students as partners at The Center.”
Helping people through volunteering is what Myrtle loves to do and she encourages others to become involved. “Anybody who has time to give to someone else at home or work should do it.”