After 30 years of serving thousands, there are no RSVP regrets.

The Retired Senior Volunteer Program still does what it did in the beginning: match men and women with volunteer opportunities.

The result is two-fold: the needs of communities are met and their own well-being enhanced.

RSVP is celebrating three decades of service with birthday parties in each of the counties it serves. On Monday night, the party was at the Mower County Senior Center in Austin.

There are 1,239 RSVP volunteers serving Dodge, Fillmore, Houston, Mower, Steele and Winona counties, said Sharon Rustad, director of senior services. Mower County has 190.

The RSVP volunteers joined Semcac in 1973. Thirteen years later, Mower County joined the Semcac program.

"RSVP is a national program that provides seniors with the unique opportunity to share a lifetime of experience, knowledge and skills with people of all ages, while remaining active and committed members in their communities," Rustad said, quoting the RSVP mission.

The volunteers are individually placed with local volunteer opportunities.

"Volunteers decide when and how they will contribute to their communities," Rustad said.

Positive reinforcement and recognition are key ingredients in the RSVP experience, but self-satisfaction is the biggest reward.

There is no pay and volunteers receive only a small mileage reimbursement allowance each month. They can purchase supplemental insurance coverage for their duties.

The opportunities for service include the Semcac senior dining and Meals on Wheels programs, mentoring children, health care centers and driving.

Women out-number men among the 55 and older RSVP volunteers, Rustad said.

Blanche Hollerud of Lyle, the Mower County RSVP coordinator, addressed Monday night's volunteer appreciation banquet crowd.

Hollerud praised all the volunteers for their contributions to their communities.

She also pointed out the Triad display at the Senior Center as an example of seniors working to benefit themselves. With the cooperation of the Mower County Sheriff's Office and Austin Police Department, Triad volunteers deal with public safety issues faced by seniors.

At Monday night's banquet, the RSVP volunteers learned their services are still needed in an ever-widening capacity.

The adult learning center at Woodson Community School, where adults seek their General Educational Development credits for a high school diploma and non-English speaking residents are taught English, is one example.

Senior nutrition volunteers are another opportunity in local communities.

Amy Baskin, executive director of United Way of Mower County, Inc., was the keynote speaker at the banquet.

Baskin quoted Margaret Mead who extolled the virtues of volunteering when she reminded all not to doubt that a small group can change the world.

That's what RSVP volunteers try to do each day of their lives in small towns and cities everywhere.

For more information about RSVP volunteering opportunities, call Rustad at (800) 944-3602.

Lee Bonorden can be contacted at 434-2232 or by e-mail at :mailto:lee.bonorden@austindailyherald.com