Two of a giving kind: Couple honored for volunteer work

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CHAMPAIGN — Not long after Dale Benz retired from his 32-year career working for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, wife Nancy told him he needed to find something new to do.

So he started volunteering for the St. Jude Catholic Worker House around 1999, and Nancy followed, joining what is now the Illinois Association of Home and Community Education.

The couple hasn’t stopped volunteering since, and were recognized during Family Service’s 52nd annual Retired & Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) Volunteer Recognition Luncheon on Thursday for the more than 8,000 hours of public service they’ve contributed together.

“We see that they appreciate it, that they need it,” Nancy said of what has kept the two coming back, year after year, to help others. “We have more time than we do money, so it’s something that we can do easily.”

“Bashful, humbling,” Dale said with a chuckle when asked how he felt about sharing the Vicki Stewart Spirit of Courage Award with Nancy. “We weren’t given a choice.”

More than 100 other seniors and retirees gathered in the ballroom of the Champaign Holiday Inn for the recognition ceremony as organizers honored volunteers and staff.

Robbie Edwards, coordinator for RSVP’s Food for Seniors initiative, said the Benzes were singled out in part because the award goes to those who’ve overcome challenges to sustain their volunteer work.

Dale, 80, said he and Nancy, 78, have slowed down in recent years — “slowed down with a capital S,” Dale added — but they still arrive at Grace Lutheran Church before 7 a.m. twice a month to drive groceries to local homebound seniors.

“Sometimes the quiet ones get a little overlooked,” Edwards said of the Benzes, estimating that the couple contributes at least 75 percent of their volunteer time together. “They just come in and do their job and are friendly with everybody. Just wonderful people.”

A Champaign resident of 41 years, Dale transitioned from volunteering with St. Jude to Family Service about 20 years ago, after the worker house became the Daily Bread Soup Kitchen.

Likewise, a former school teacher and piano instructor of 25 years, Nancy served as president of what was then the county’s Home Extension, shelved books at the public library and ushered at Krannert Center for the Performing Arts before she joined Dale in becoming steadily involved with the RSVP.

Now, the two primarily offer their time helping with the Food for Seniors program and Carle’s hospice center. Nancy said they enjoy the volunteer work because of the relationships they’ve built with others, and how the service expands their circle of family and friends.

She noted that one man joins them on Food for Seniors runs to lift the boxes out of the car so Dale doesn’t strain himself, and one woman they regularly deliver to sometimes sings them religious songs in return for their visits.

Edwards’ tally of more than 8,000 hours doesn’t even include the volunteer work the Benzes also donate to the local St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Involved with so many different outlets, Nancy said the two don’t bother keeping track of all the time they contribute.

“You can turn in your hours, but we don’t,” Nancy said. “I don’t know, we just figure God knows, that’s what counts.”

Besides the Benzes, Thursday’s luncheon also recognized Holly Tutich with the Rena Lenz Award, OSF HealthCare with the Station of the Year Award, and Sharon Ehler, Len and Penny Lopez, Mike Morrow, Chris Noffsinger, Susie Spitzer and Ed Wilhite with Service Awards.

Camille Birt, a program manager at OSF HealthCare, said RSVP volunteers provide a crucial role to the local hospital as they greet patients at the front desk, work as receptionists and provide comfort.

“I’m speaking on behalf of the entire hospital when I say that we could not do what we do without them,” Birt said. “We have a lot of employees, but even still we wouldn’t be anywhere near as successful without the people that volunteer with us.”

As for Dale and Nancy, the couple agreed that they’ll do their part for as long as possible.

“We’ll keep going until we can’t,” Nancy said.