(Spencer)– The Retired Senior and Volunteer Program, or RSVP, is seeing an increase in volunteers. Director Mari Duncan says in Spencer alone, the number has grown from 39 to 78 just since this past September.
Duncan says volunteer service hours continue to rise as well in Clay county, with more than 1,354 hours being contributed during the 2025 calendar year. She says that through May 2026, volunteers have logged more than 1,426 hours, surpassing the previous year’s total.
Duncan says RSVP volunteers contributed more than 34,000 hours of service during the 2025-’26 grant year. She says that represents more than $1 million in economic impact returned to local communities.
Duncan says RSVP is increasing its involvement in emergency preparedness and disaster recovery programs as well as efforts to address loneliness and isolation among older adults in the communities they serve.
