It's an unquestionable fact: The population of senior citizens is burgeoning, growing daily, while the age groups available to provide services is shrinking. Today's senior population, however, is not sitting idly by, waiting to be waited upon; instead, they are taking an active interest in community and remaining important contributors to society.

Retirees are the engine that drive local nonprofit agencies and are heavily involved in civic organizations as well.

Paula Roach, Good Samaritan Center executive director, said almost all of the volunteers that keep operations going are senior citizens and retirees.

"Seniors make the wheel turn," Roach said. "We probably have 200 on rotation, working regularly. We have senior citizens who deliver commodities, and lift 25-30 pound bags, three to four every home. ...We have a gentleman with cancer who still works at the food pantry. He comes no matter how he feels. He says if he can still help people, as long as he can walk he will keep coming to Good Sam."

Similar numbers routinely volunteer at the Good Neighbors Shoppe, the Child Advocacy Center, and Iva's Place; some volunteers spend days each week at all three and Good Samaritan.

"I can't say enough about our seniors - they are awesome!" Roach said.

Meanwhile, new volunteer opportunities are being organized regularly. Retiree Terry Camilleri, a Tellico Village resident, is leading an effort to establish a Love, Inc. (In the name of Christ) an organization which will serve as a clearinghouse to connect volunteers with organizations and individuals with needs in the community. The organization is expected to be up and running by early 2010.

Scott Mathot, of Kiwanis of Tellico Village is working to establish an effort to help senior citizens. A community needs assessment undertaken by Kiwanis in 2008 identified needs specific to the elderly in the community, Mathot said.

Called Kiwanis Kares, the program slated to be launched next month  will provide reassurance calls and assistance to senior citizens who are shut-ins and may not have family nearby. Both those seniors needing aid and those who can help others are in abundant supply locally, Mathot said.

"I think Tellico Village alone has about 6,500 people. If just one-half of 1 percent said they would like our help, that would be 30-some people just from the Village. In the county there are probably 25,000 to 30,000. It would not be too hard to assume there could be 100 people needing help.

Through the program, volunteers would call enrollees at least weekly, and chat. "We are especially trying to contact those left alone through loss of a spouse. Often, they don't socialize, and this weekly call would be something to look forward to," Mathot said. "When we talk to them, we would listen for special needs and take action. They might be comfortable with letting us visit once a month, and when their physical condition is unsafe, maybe a door won't work properly, we would try to get them help. Through our community services committee, we have some handymen who can do minor repairs and maintenance, everything from change a light bulb to furnace filter."

The Kiwanis volunteers would be ideally suited to work with the elderly. "We have members 50 to 85 who understand what it is like to get older, and almost to a person, they are willing to help others.

According to Roach, that is the secret of volunteer success. Giving to others and maintaining outward focus, Roach said, serves as an elixir that helps keep people young and young at heart. "When people contribute to society, it helps them, and that circle of life is so neat," she said.