Serving Our Seniors Magazine April - June 2025

It takes more than a healthy diet and exercise to age well into older age. It also involves having a sense of purpose, a circle of friends who mean something to you and a regular schedule/routine. I interviewed a group of older adults, ages 60 - 92, in a Habitat for Humanity construction building. This is where they spend some of their winter-time, building homes and sheds for Firelands Habitat for Humanity. This crew of volunteers gets together every Wednesday and Saturday. They start with coffee at 7:30 a.m. and give themselves a ½ break for lunch and work until 2:30 p.m. or 3:00 p.m.. What I love about this story is how it debunks all of the negative stereotypes associated with being a person of older age and the false belief of “Women can’t do that.” I hope you find this story as uplifting to read, as it was for me to write. Kevin Ackerman, 60, It always made sense to Kevin that people ought to help others to have a home. When he retired, he sought to volunteer at Firelands Habitat for Humanity. “I’m a retired utility guy,” he said. “I had no construction skills. I remember the first time I walked onto a job site. I had no tools and no experience. My first assignment was hanging a piece of dry wall in a closet. Everyone works really well, together. They have a great attitude.” Philip Mohr, 69, has been volunteering since he was 50 years old. “I knew I had to give time back to God for all he has given to me. When I started, I found that it was just a bunch of really nice people. That makes it fun. Plus, I started to learn to do things I did not know how to do before. That also made this job fun, along with the comradery.” Jack Churchill, 92, worked driving a truck until he retired at age 82. He has been volunteering, on and off, at Habitat for Humanity for 20+ years. Today, he says, “I’ll do whatever they ask me to do, but I don’t get on roofs, scaffolding and ladders.” He often installs baseboards and helps with installing windows. I asked Jack to offer some advice for others who are 90 + and feeling well. He said, “Get out and do something. This is what is keeping me up and around.” Firelands Habitat for Humanity Has the Formula 20