Retirement Found A New Purpose
"Honey, I can't talk right now. I'm at work."
Tony said this to his wife while stocking shelves at The Store. He was on a volunteer shift. Unpaid. A little put out by the interruption.
Tony spent decades serving this country in the military. A long and distinguished career. And now, making sure the produce is fresh and the shelves are full for his neighbors - he treats this the same way.
Then there's Jen. When she retired after a long career, she found herself lost. Her words. No purpose, no community, nowhere to put her gifts.
Then she found The Store.
I've heard some version of this story more times than I can count from our active retirees. The working years are full - purpose, productivity, the feeling of being needed and depended on. And then retirement arrives, often a season we spent years looking forward to, and something unexpected happens. For a lot of people, the transition is quieter and harder than they imagined.
The Store has become, for many of them, a place to land.
Yesterday we held our July Lunch and Learn. Fifty-six people signed up - a new record. When the group shared why they came, 75% had recently retired.
They said things like: "I want to give back." "I want to stay active." "I want somewhere to use my gifts."I have to be honest about something. Without our active retirees, The Store couldn't operate. Not just because they're helpful - but because they are the backbone. Most of them know more about running this place than I do.
And if yesterday's Lunch and Learn is any sign of what's coming, The Store is going to be in very good hands.
For many active retirees, The Store has become more than a place to volunteer—it's a place to rediscover purpose, build community, and use a lifetime of gifts to serve others. Collen reflects on the volunteers who have become the backbone of The Store and why their impact extends far beyond stocking shelves.
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