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They won’t be cheered by thousands or earn millions. They give, not take. Their work is behind the scenes. They cut hair. They mend band uniforms. They encourage young children to read and frail adults to walk.

Meet a few people over 50 who are changing our area.

CLEVELAND AMBASSADOR Leroy Wilson Jr.

Leroy is a super volunteer — and he has an award to prove it. The 2016 recipient of the David F. Leahy Award for Volunteer Excellence by Greater Cleveland Volunteers, he is an ambassador at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport where he directs visitors and offers information to them, and he delivers meals to homebound people through the Southeast Clergy Meals on Wheels. He also serves on their board of directors.

Leroy says he found out about volunteer opportunities through GCV and that his life has been enriched because he can help others in need.

A ROCKER FINDS A HOME

Elaine Minch

Elaine is a long-time rock ’n’ roll fan. After retiring as a pharmacy technician, she began volunteering for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland.

“My family owned and operated the Rollerdrome, a roller skating rink in Euclid, and during those days, rising musicians would be booked with Bill Randle and his Cavalcade of Stars. They would perform live, sign autographs and mingle with the crowds at the rink,” she says.

Elaine also volunteers at the Rock Hall Library and Archives at Cuyahoga Community College, where she catalogs donated vinyl record collections for the Tommy LiPuma Center for Creative Arts at Cuyahoga Community College Metropolitan Campus.

A TUTOR WITH A PURPOSE

Elva Fosh

Elva helps students read and achieve as a literacy tutor/team leader and literacy booster for Greater Cleveland Volunteers in the AARP Foundation Experience Corps program. She’s backed implementation of projects across grade levels with slight modifications that challenge higher-performing students.

Sarah Aitken has been rescuing animals for more than 30 years. Today she works with Maggie’s Mission (maggiesmissionrescue. org), a Medina County-based organization that relies entirely on volunteers and foster homes to care for dogs, cats and horses.

Many of the dogs and cats are saved from urgent situations throughout Northeast Ohio, as well as from overflowing shelters. Horses and donkeys, such as the ones shown, often come from auctions where they were to be sold for meat.

Sarah says animal lovers can easily find a place to volunteer that suits their interests and time.

“Many groups, including Maggie’s Mission, have many options for volunteers. Maggie’s Mission shows pets at PetSmart in Montrose, Pet People in Strongsville and various other locations throughout the year. We always need volunteers to sit with a pet at these events, and they are only a couple of hours each. We also have the need for computer-savvy volunteers to help with inputting information and transporters to transport pets from shelters or to and from vet appointments.”

Her own interest started as a teenager. Birds, turtles, rabbits — if an animal needed help, she was there.

“When it’s in your blood, you can’t really walk away from it. You can take a break, but it draws you back in when you see a face that’s in need of help, and you know you can be the one to make a difference,” she says.

“We need more compassion in our world. We have domesticated these animals and it is our responsibility to take care of them properly.”

The holidays can be a time of joy, happiness and excitement; they can also be stressful, lonely and overwhelming for those who are caring for a loved one. HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP FIGHT STRESS AND BURNOUT:

RECOGNIZE YOU MAY BE LONELY Often, when you have been the primary caregiver, you may let many of your family relationships, friends, hobbies and other interests take a backseat because of caregiver duties. Sometimes it can be difficult to reach out and to reconnect. Let people know you have no plans and are open to an invitation. You’ll be glad you did.

THINK ABOUT YOUR EXPECTATIONS What are your expectations for the holidays? It is important to keep in mind that nothing may go as planned. Do you really need a 10-course dinner? Can some of your guests make a dish? Can some of your guests arrive early and help prepare the house? Can you cook ahead and freeze part of it? Can you use a caterer?

STAY POSITIVE Try not to worry about things out of your control. Only deal with the task at hand.

LEARN TO SAY NO You will be forgiven. You’re not super human, so know your limitations.

IT’S OK TO LAUGH This year’s disaster might be next year’s funny story. Enjoy the memories that are being made, even if they aren’t all planned.

Bring a Loved One Along, but Remember:

• They may tire easily; plan on an early meal.

• Keep familiar traditions and rituals.

• Serve foods that are familiar to them.

• Allow time for a nap.

• Be sure to take up slippery throw rugs.

• Provide a steady chair with sturdy chair arms.

• Have extra clothing in case of a spill or accident.

• If you are going to a restaurant, make sure it’s handicapped accessible.

It is not easy for parents to realize that their children have profound disabilities or mental illness.

They face the fact that their children will continue to need care and support for the rest of their lives.

It seems logical and understandable that parents will take over for their disabled child when they become adults. However, those rights are not granted to them by a mere fact of their child’s mental illness or profound disabilities.

When a child turns 18 and becomes an adult, parents lose all legal rights to act on behalf of the child, even if that adult child is not competent to act on his own behalf. That exclusion extends to medical records, a crucial point when an adult child receives complex medical treatment for physical or psychological issues.

It is important in this situation for parents to be prepared to take legal measures in a timely manner to protect their adult child’s interests and to ensure his well-being and proper care.

GETTING STARTED The first and most important step in this situation is to obtain guardianship over the adult child. There are two types of guardianships: of person and of estate. Often, the adult child does not have any assets, and the parents only need to obtain guardianship of person.

To become a guardian, the parent must file an application with the probate court of the county where the adult child resides. The court investigates each case and reviews doctors’ statements before a judge or court official makes a decision to appoint a guardian.

After the parent is appointed legal guardian of an adult child, the parent has the right to act on behalf of the child and has authority to access the child’s legal and medical records.

However, as soon as the parent becomes the guardian of person and of estate of an adult child, the parent assumes new duties and responsibilities.

Feed your Christmas spirit with holiday travel. Stuff a duffle and zip your puffy coat. Set Sirius radio to carols and ask Siri to map the destination. Find serious seasonal spirit nearby in Frankenmuth, Michigan, or Oglebay, West Virginia, or Ellicottville, New York. In less than two tanks of gas, you’ll be making new memories. If you have the flexibility, consider a midweek stay. There’s more availability, fewer crowds and better pricing.

SEE THE LIGHTS AND MORE

Oglebay Resort – about 173 miles from Cleveland – is legendary for its Christmas lighting display. Northeast Ohioans sign up for popular bus tours

more than 300 acres along a six-mile drive. This year’s display will be lit Nov. 11 through Jan. 8.

Introduced in 1985, the Winter Festival of Lights is among the nation’s largest. Eighty displays include the Rainbow Tunnel and a 2,000-light Polyhedron Star. Close to 60 feet tall and spanning 50 feet in diameter, the Poinsettia Wreath and Candles is the festival’s tallest. A dramatic new light structure opens this month.

The resort is more than lights and Christmas: It’s a self-contained destination set on 1,700 acres full of recreational activities.

Wilson Lodge has 270 guestrooms, a spa, dining and more. Dining options range from cookouts to banquets to gourmet meals. Weather permitting, the

grounds offer golf, hiking and biking, and a 30-acre zoo, train ride, theater, glass museum, mansion museum and Environmental Education Center. And, of course, specialty shops that are a good place to find holiday gifts.

Guest rooms in the West Wing have been completely renovated, and an outdoor activity area with zipline and ropes course recently has been added.

A PHOTO-PERFECT SETTING

Ellicettville, New  York – about 177 miles from Cleveland – is best known as the home of Holiday Valley ski resort. Off the slopes, a solid dusting of snow adds Christmas charm to this mini mecca of dining and retail.

We all have friends or relatives on our gift-giving list who are not looking at toy catalogs or the latest kitchen gadget. They are the dear individuals who are gracefully enjoying life and aging in place (code words for those over 60).

HERE ARE A FEW GIFT IDEAS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

• In-home spa service of a facial, massage or mani/pedi

• One month of pet walking twice a week

• Car detailing

• Gourmet dinner prepared by a chef in the home for friends or family

• Fruit of the month club

• Two months of house cleaning — an awesome gift to free up time

• Personal shopper for groceries

• Consultation with a home designer

Many of these gift ideas are readily available in Northeast Ohio. Most businesses will provide a gift certificate or card that explains the details of the gift.

MORE IDEAS

While it’s tempting to give a gift of the services of a professional decluttering and reorganizing company, pause and reconsider.

After the holidays, if you want to address a loved one’s clutter situation, consider what worked for one family and their grandmother who was overrun with too many odds and ends that were difficult for her to part with.

All of the children and grandchildren came over, and the grandmother had each person use small Post-It notes to identify items they wanted after she passed away. The grandmother was able to decide what to pack away to give to charity, friends and others.

The day provided an opportunity for the grandmother to spend time with family, recall memories and ensure that her cherished items would go to family members after her death.

Create a unique way to give to those who support you. Lifetime friends, dear neighbors, a tight-knit family or great co-workers whose support and friendship help you to be happy and successful throughout the year all are worthy of a party. The group can be from any area of your life that you want to celebrate. And this time of year, the holidays provide a perfect backdrop.

EAT, DRINK & BE A GREAT HOST

Regardless of whether you are providing appetizers or choose to serve a more substantial meal, the key is to keep the spread simple yet visually appealing. You want to visit with your friends, not run frantically from the kitchen to the serving area to the door greeting guests. No one enjoys seeing a host spend most of their time preparing and serving food and drinks than visiting with their guests.

Mood Foods

Spud Bar

Chives, bacon, sour cream and cheese assortments can flesh out this theme. Make potatoes ahead of time, wrap them in aluminum foil and keep them warm in an oven until party time.

Soup Bar

Offer a broth-based, cheese-based and a chili along with a variety of crackers and toppings. Use small ramekins so everyone can try multiple soups. Again, make these ahead of time. Borrow Crock-Pots to keep everything steaming hot

Taco Bar

This is all the rage with many restaurants specializing in Mexican fare. You really can’t go wrong here. Before guests arrive, arrange all the basic ingredients (and a few they don’t expect — shredded cabbage, spicy shrimp maybe?).

You can’t bottle sunshine, but with special care you can bring its vigor into your house during the long dormant season. Check the calendar — fall is here, but that doesn’t mean your gardening time has to end.

Overwintering perennial herbs — such as rosemary and thyme — are a multifunctional and fun way to tap warm weather vitality by boosting your spirit and pleasing the palate.

But, it’s not as easy bringing pots inside. The indoor herb garden requires extra effort in Northeast Ohio, according to Karen Kennedy, education coordinator for The Herb Society of America, based in Kirtland. Extra effort means providing supplemental light and attentive watering.

LIGHT, LIGHT AND MORE LIGHT

“Most herbs require six to eight hours of sunlight per day,” says Briscoe White, co-founder and head grower at The Growers Exchange, an all-natural, online garden center in Virginia that specializes in rare and traditional herb plants for culinary, aromatic and medicinal use. “We recommend an unobstructed, southwest or east-facing window.”

That advice is more likely to succeed in areas further south. In Northeast Ohio, growing zones 6 and 7, winter sunshine can be elusive. In fact, if sun powers the plant’s energy production, imagine reducing that power 78 percent, from nine hours per day in July to roughly two hours per day in January. Not only do days get shorter in Northeast Ohio, actual sun strength dwindles. Less sunlight means reduced photosynthesis, and sun-loving herb plants starve.

So, what might look like success in October and November, could fail in January and February. That’s fine, if you have Kennedy’s expectations. “My goal is to keep it alive through the holidays, when I use it most,” she says of rosemary.

Post-holiday success is when modern light sources become important. That’s because traditional incandescent lighting is too hot and lacks the blue rays that plants need to move electrons and produce their own food.