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Seniors weigh uncertain future
Published 10:37am Thursday, March 19, 2009Lowell Steinbach, 56, is a self-employed carpenter. Like most everyone, he knows first-hand the effects of the slow economy. The Adams resident has been job-hunting for four months.
“This is the first time I’ve been to a job fair,” he explained as he patiently listened to representatives at each booth, taking into consideration any volunteer, part-time or full-time paid opportunities.
He learned that with the Girl Scouts, he could be “teaching somebody looking to pound a nail.” Steinbach signed up with the Austin Public School District after discovering he could teach his own Community Education class.
“I did some networking with some different people,” he said.
Steinbach was just one of a steady flow of citizens at the Mower County Senior Center from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday staking out what is, for some, a new and uncertain future.
The “baby boomer fair” — or Project GO Job Fair — was made possible by a grant from the Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation to Riverland Generations, said Celeste Ruble of Human Resources at Riverland Community College.
Just one of several job fairs, classes and workshops aimed at helping dislocated, unemployed and financially unstable individuals, the Project GO fair targeted a new demographic recently in the job-seekers pool: people over age 55.
The fair offered about 10 booths, including the Mower County Chapter of the American Red Cross, Parenting Resource Center and Sacred Heart Care Center.
“I’ve been out of work since ’79,” said fair attendee Rick Matter, 59. He lives in Lyle and works part-time for his parents’ racing memorabilia business, but leans on Social Security for income.
“And that doesn’t pay the bills,” Matter said.
He is seeking supervisor of managerial work, he said.
“Most people here have been looking for paid positions,” reported Mary Flaherty, activities director at Sacred Heart Care Center. The facility needs volunteers for its games, crafts, men’s and women’s clubs, bookmobile and more.
Riverland Generations, nicknamed a “college for seniors” through RCC, offers classes ranging from “The Science of Weather” to “The Globalization of Business: From Austin to China and Beyond.” Attendance varies from a dozen to 70 people.
“We’ve done everything from basic computer operation to the change to digital photography,” said John Gedker, former president of RCC. “We try to come up with things that are interesting to the older learner. If people have ideas, we’d like to incorporate that.”
Experience Works, formerly called Green Thumb, trains citizens ages 55 and over.
“I have quite a few people lined up in Mower County,” field representative Arletta Bungum said at the fair. Interest in the program has piqued recently, she said.
Laura Helle, executive director of the Hormel Historic Home, said their facility has “hundreds of volunteers.” About 10 new volunteers had signed up by 11:30 a.m.
“Some people are looking for paid work, but they are realizing they may have to put several different jobs together,” Helle said.
Now that the Hormel Home is beginning its $1.8 million expansion, the facility will need more paid and unpaid workers, she said.
Mary Goetz, membership specialist for Girl Scouts of Minnesota and Wisconsin River Valleys, said they are promoting the opportunity to “volunteer on your schedule,” thereby utilizing people’s skills and experience to educate girls in arts, culture, science, sports and more.
Sara Schafer, director of Mower County Seniors, Inc., offered volunteer applications for store volunteer and store supervisor.
“I think this has been a really great thing,” she said of the strong turnout at the job fair.
Donald Fuller, 58, of Austin, said Wednesday he is living off Social Security, and is seeking paid employment.
“Right now, I’m just looking,” he said. “I have janitor experience, equipment repair and maintenance. I found a few resources. I’m just starting my search, but it’s kind of hard.”
“I got lucky and won a sweatshirt,” he added.
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