By Walter Joyce, November 12, 2019 — I’ve been retired 20 years after working for 40 years. During retirement, I’ve been engaged in various activities. I am chairman of Livingston’s Senior Advisory committee: past president of Livingston’s Old Guard fellowship club; vice president of our local AARP chapter; manager for the AARP Livingtones singing group; vice commander of Livingston’s VFW post; volunteer driver for senior citizen’s; member of St. Philomena’s Church choir; volunteer tutor for English as a second language.
I enjoy every day and am happy helping others. Each day brings pleasant memories and one that I enjoy remembering today, happened yesterday at Lyon’s VA hospital as we celebrated veteran’s day with those vet’s that are hospitalized. Members of the AARP Livingtones went to the hospital to sing and in the audience was one veteran who thoroughly enjoyed our performance. He sat in the front and with a big smile on his face, he joined us as we sang some “oldies.” After the performance, he came up to a few of us singers and told us something I’ll never forget. He said, “When you all come here and perform is one of the only things I look forward to anymore.” After that wonderful statement and a conversation with the man, I realized what an impact a person can have on people’s lives any day. It made me happy to be able to spend some time with some of the men and a woman who also served in the armed forces and hopefully have made their day better.