Turning What You Love into What You Do
By Patrick J. O’Connor
There is considerable evidence that retirees miss two aspects of their full-time work life. They miss a sense of purpose and the social connections work provides. Many retirees fill these voids with activities that result in social capital. Social capital comes
from good things good people do for others to make their communities
better places. Social capital creates value.
My April segment of “Turning What You Love into What You Do” highlighted social capital and two outstanding examples of people who do things without expecting anything in return. The following two Boomers are using social capital activities to stay focused, maintain purpose and enjoy socializing. Their examples demonstrate that social capital is contagious!
Kelly
Kelly retired in 2021 and found herself tending to a very ill pet. She had time on her hands and wanted to keep busy, so she took up knitting, even though she had never knitted before. She just wanted to have “something to do” after retiring.
She quickly learned how to knit wool hats, completing 250 of them in the winter of 2022! She donated them to a local Ukrainian church that sent them to Ukrainians struggling through the war there, to Laura’s Home, a local women’s shelter, and to the Caring Closet where she taught. Her mom, mother-in-law and husband joined in her project. They now have a room in their house called “the hat room.”
Fast forward to 2023. Kelly has knitted some 500 hats. Her mother-in-law, mom and husband continue to make them, too. Her mother-in-law is in assisted living now and keeps busy making hats. She is so prolific, Kelly has trouble “keeping her in yarn.”
Kelly also sent some hats to a friend in Milwaukee who donated them to a women’s shelter in her area. Her friend got the knitting bug and asked her granddaughter to
gift her a loom kit for Christmas. Friend and granddaughter now make hats for women and children at the shelter. What a wonderful way for them both to share special time together for a good cause. They all testify to the joy they receive. Kelly says “this all just fell in my lap. It’s fun.” Positivity has a charming way of spreading!
Lynda
Lynda is part of the Ravenna Calico Hearts Quilt guild. After retirement, she did a lot 
of solo quilting but wanted to quilt with others, too. She and the 40-member group meet monthly preparing quilts, pillowcases and other quilted items. They donate them to a variety of causes. They prepare Mug Mats (for beverages) for Meals on Wheels, which are very popular. In addition, two major causes are needy children at UH
Portage Medical Center and quilts for veterans.
Recently, the group donated 50 handmade quilts and pillowcases for children (newborn – 18) at UH Portage hospital. Lynda has a special place in her heart for military veterans considering many family members and friends are veterans. She and her quilting group provide quilts to many veterans and veterans groups such as the Ravenna VFW and Freedom House. She follows the quality standards of Quilts of
Valor. This amazing group provides healing quilts to service members and veterans touched by war. For information on their origin and to get involved, contact their website. Quilts of Valor Foundation (qovf.org)
Follow their Lead
Every community has people like Kelly and Lynda doing wonderful things for the benefit of others. They exemplify the importance of finding purpose and socialization in retirement. The beautiful details and dedication to their craft are evidence of the love they hold for others. They contribute to the betterment of their communities
without expecting anything in return. It is evident from the reach of their efforts that social capital is contagious.
Kelly and Lynda are perfect examples of the value of social capital. They and others just like them are in every community. They are easy to find, and it is easy to follow their lead. Any Boomer looking for a way to contribute: get moving and fill the void if you have one. Or increase your social capital activities for everyone’s benefit. You’ll be glad you did and probably receive more benefit than you give.
Author’s Note
We’d love to hear from readers willing to share examples of the social capital activities they, their friends and family perform. Just add them to the reply section of this blog. We will return to this topic in the future and would love to feature your submission.
There is so much good being done by good people, perhaps it’s time we lift and celebrate it. Since it is contagious, who knows how many people will jump on board? Thanks, Kelly and Lynda, for inspiring us with a wonderful example to follow.
Kelly
Love this Blog segment, Pat! I imagine you’ll get feedback from many people who are finding joy and renewed purpose in retirement! Good stuff!
Pat
Thanks Kelly as the examples you and Lynda are inspiring and we’re learning how contagious social capital is. Hope your Milwaukee friends will share some comments too. I’m wondering if they now have hat room at their house.
Best
Pat
George Miller
Kudos to Kelly and Lynda! Very inspiring!
Pat
I agree George. Hope all’s with you.
Pat
Mike Spriegel
Yet another excellent topic!
My daughter Michelle (34 y.o) has been doing this in various forms since she was a teenager. About ten years ago she started The Paper Bag Project in Miami. She and her buds filled paper lunch bags with toothbrushes / paste, snacks, socks, and other personal care items. Then they drove around Miami, and when they spotted homeless (“unhoused” is the ridiculous euphemism du jour) and hand out the bags. They started with their own money, but began solicited donations on-line. She also volunteers at the women’s shelter.
Several years ago, she and a bunch of her friends joined a non-profit group that built a water system for a small village in the Dominican Republic with no running water or electricity. It was life-changing for her. Prior to them building a concrete catch basin in the river and then running PVC pipe down to a cistern they built in the village, an old man on a donkey would fill up two 5-gallon jugs at the river, which was several hundred yards up hill and then fill plastic barrels at each house.
Pat
Thanks for passing along such an inspiring story and message. Very cool that she began doing this as a teenager. And such a creative idea. She must have had good role models! Would you ask her to share a thought about where the idea came from? Social capital is contagious!
All the best to you and Michelle bud.
Pat
Jim Gilder
Pat, I am impressed that you continue to find so many retirees that continue to give back in various ways. Well done!
Pat O’Connor
Thanks Jim. Sometimes I feel like they find me!
Sure a lot of good stuff going on and would love to see it celebrated. Might drown out some of this non-stop negativity noise.
Hope and family are well.
Pat
Marilyn Sessions
Social capital. Never really looked at it as being a “thing” however it is more critical than you can imagine. Early in my career a dear friend (Tim Dimoff from SACS Consulting) told me the most important thing you can do in business is “meet people meet people meet people.” Combine that with my Grandma always telling me (I wasn’t the most patient kid!) “with age comes wisdom” and to me that is a lifetime of building social capital. Who of us hasn’t excelled by being introduced to or given a break by a connection. It’s the simple things and I like to think of it as being a “dot connector.” You connect the dots and let the magic happen. Great article Pat!
patrick o'connor
Thanks so much Marilynn for you comments and insight. I always love learning from you. You are certainly part of social capital “royalty” in Portage county. Might be in touch to brain-storm ways to really lift up social capital!
Best and thanks
Pat