A lifelong volunteer reflects on giving back
Volunteerism has always played a big role in Carol Pitzer’s life.
As a kid, she’d do different projects with friends in the neighborhood, like hosting a garage sale for the Humane Society. And she volunteered as a hospital candy striper.
As a teen, volunteering connected Pitzer to others. And in college at the University of Dayton, it connected her to the community.
“Volunteering has been a part of my fabric from growing up,” she said.
During her nearly 35 years as a systems analyst for Eli Lilly and Company, Pitzer often raised her hand for volunteer projects that would pop up throughout Indianapolis.
And since retiring in 2017, she has stuck with it. Volunteering introduces her to others who are passionate and gives her a sense of purpose, she said.
“I have been single all my life. That’s a blessing in the sense that it frees up my time,” Pitzer said. “I don’t have the family obligations that a lot of people do. I have the time to give to other people."
United Way recently spoke with Pitzer about her long involvement with United Way and her extensive volunteer work.
(This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)
How did you get involved with United Way? What about the organization made you want to get involved?
With United Way specifically, it was through Lilly. Lilly has always promoted giving to United Way. And over the course of time there were also volunteer opportunities. I did, at different times, serve as a coordinator for our United Way campaign within Lilly.
Because of [United Way’s] broad reach throughout the community, it brings a lot of organizations together so that each organization can specialize in their area of expertise. It feels well-orchestrated and a way that we can have everyone moving in the same direction toward goals, but then tap into the resources of all these different organizations.
Are there philanthropic causes United Way is involved in that you’re particularly passionate about?
I have been a ReadUP tutor for third grade students for about 10 years. It is a fun endeavor because these young people all have their own personalities, and finding what makes them spark keeps it interesting. For the most part, the kids thrive with individual attention.
The schools in which I have tutored see a lot of poverty and homelessness. I have great respect for all the administration and staff members do to holistically lift up school families.
Tell us about the disaster relief work you’ve done.
I was brought into Red Cross [through Eli Lilly and Company] and got involved in disaster relief.
An event would happen, and we’d open a shelter to help those people who were impacted, but it serviced all these other needs in the community. We’d see poverty, we’d see addiction, we’d see health issues, we’d see people who were homeless. It takes a lot of different organizations to support those needs. The more I volunteer, the more I see the interaction.
I have had the opportunity to go on several national-level disaster response projects where we were responding to hurricanes, including Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Isaac and Hurricane Florence.
We take care of the logistics, making sure people have everything they need to be comfortable and they get fed. But a lot of it is just taking time to listen to people who are perhaps going through some of the worst times in their life and paying attention to them and their needs.
I’ve met some really neat people, clients who are very grateful. It’s taught me to be flexible.
My most recent deployment was with wildfires in Oregon, during COVID restrictions.
You’ve volunteered with United Way’s Go All IN Day with other Lilly retirees. Tell us about that experience.
Last year, we did a clean-up project with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful. If a project like that comes to me, I always take advantage, if I can, because it provides exposure to a different organization and what they do.
We were cleaning up along the Cultural Trail, and it made me more aware of those surroundings. Also, it’s an opportunity to meet some new folks – always a good experience. In this case, when it’s Lilly retirees, often I’ll run into people I’ve worked with before.
The previous year we were doing work at Noble, also an outdoor clean-up project.
What volunteer projects are you involved in right now?
I am pretty heavily involved with the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. We have long had a group of parishioners at my church who have worked there regularly, once a week. When I retired, I was immediately invited to join that group.
When COVID kicked in, the needs increased: There was a higher demand for food. Many of our volunteers are older, and they could not work because it was too much of a risk for them. We had to change all our processes because we couldn’t have clients in the building, so we needed to rearrange to do a drive-thru. I started working a lot more during that time and have continued since.
I’m a point person for organizing the produce area; I lead volunteers and some of the planning in that area.
We have volunteers who are working in the pantry because they were first exposed as clients. Hearing some of their stories makes me see we are really fulfilling a need, and it also makes me aware that I, myself, am really blessed.
I am secretary for the St. Vincent de Paul Council for Central and Southern Indiana. I also do a lot with ministry in our church and youth programs. Right now, we’re in track season. I’ve coached track for 34 years at St. Mark in the Catholic Youth Organization program.
Why is volunteerism important to you?
I am very blessed. Being connected with schools and churches and families – and Lilly – that promote [volunteerism] have drawn me in, and I find it is a very fulfilling experience.
I would encourage anybody to get involved in something. You meet great people; you have purpose. Take advantage of your gifts.
Interested in volunteering June 21 for this year’s Go All IN Day? Click the button below for more information and to sign up.