Volunteer Spotlight: Wendy Raker

Wendy Raker first volunteered at the Britthaven Retirement Home – now University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation – on September 14, 2004. With only a few exceptions, she has been back twice a month every month for almost seven years. Her routine has remained the constant.

“I get to the center a bit early and go to the residents’ rooms to visit and to see if they want to join us for Bingo,” Raker said. “If they need help, I help them get to where we play. If they don’t feel up to it, I visit for a few minutes and then I go to the next room.”

Twice a month for nearly seven years.

“The most important thing with volunteering is consistency,” she said. “Being there week in and week out, the residents and the staff all know me. They are comfortable with me. I am ‘Bingo.’”

It’s worth noting that Wendy didn’t walk into a well-established program at Britthaven. Along with a close friend, she built the program from the ground up. At first, they encountered some obstacles like the lack of a budget and some staff resistance.

“It was a challenge for us to keep it going, but we took the bull by the horns and forced the issue,” she said.

Despite the challenges, Wendy has established Bingo & More into one of Hands On Charlotte’s best senior-focused projects. As the volunteer leader, she said she is always looking for more Hands On Charlotte volunteers.

“You have to do it from the heart,” she said. “It’s not easy because sometimes there is loss. But when you think about what it means to the residents, it makes it all worth it.”


--Tanner Kroeger