Volunteer Chore Services - a nonprofit that has provided chore assistance for seniors throughout Seattle since 1981 - hired a new West Region volunteer coordinator in June.

Kerrie Carbary, the recent hire, says she is eager to expand the West Seattle program to meet the region's demand for the services of the agency.

"Currently the West Region provides around 50 volunteers per month, and they serve an average of 300 hours a month. Other regions are twice this, so there's really room for a lot of growth in West Seattle," Carbary said.

In July alone, there were 28 seniors who requested assistance - everything from grocery shopping to yard care - and had to be placed on a waiting list.

Volunteer Chore Services fill an important niche.

"A lot of clients wouldn't get to the grocery store or to doctors appointments without the help of a volunteer," Carbary said. "Some might ask 'why doesn't their family help?' But the thing is, it's kind of a symptom of society. Families are so spread out and can't take care of them. So we're kind of filling in some gaps left by society. A person might have lived in a place for 50 years, and while it's hard for them to do some things, they're not quite ready for a retirement facility. Volunteers help keep people independent."

While the government does provide some assistance through a "service to the homebound" program, there is still a gap between those who cannot pay for professional assistance and those who do not qualify for government assistance, according to Carbary. Volunteer Chore Services fills this gap.

The program does more than simply provide a free service, though. It also builds community.

Kizzie Funkhouser, the Southeast Region volunteer coordinator who briefly covered the West Region during the recent staff transition, says that Volunteer Chore Services' primary goal is to "get people out there and let them know that there are people in their community who need help. Really, it's just a matter of creating those connections between seniors who are in need and people nearby who want to help."

Coni Gulsvig, a volunteer for the volunteer service for the past seven years, loves the community-building aspect of Volunteer Chore Services.

"Typically they try to connect you to people where you live," she said. "For a number of years I helped one senior, and she lived just two blocks away. This woman was from New York; she was sharp, bright and just fascinating. I really got to know her on a personal level. She passed away two years ago at the age of 75. That was hard."

Joslyn Rendon, a 24-year-old massage therapist, has volunteered with Volunteer Chore Services' Southeast Region for two years.

"I always think it's funny that it's called 'Volunteer Chore Services' because it's not a chore at all," Rendon said. "I help one lady sort through her stuff and clean house, and another lady I just visit with on a regular basis. I don't have grandparents, and they've kind of adopted me."

Carbary recognizes that the current economic climate can make volunteering difficult, but also sees Volunteer Chore Services as an organization that can provide opportunities to stay involved in the community even when it seems challenging.

"I realize that if someone is holding three jobs, they might not have the time available to volunteer. But maybe they could pop into a neighbor's house for 15 minutes. And really, that's all it takes because we are working on building community. So interactions are usually local."

For more information on Volunteer Chore Services, please call Kerrie Carbary at 328-6858 or visit http://www.ccsww.org/site/PageServer?pagename=volunteerchores .

Shannan Stoll is a student in the University of Washington Department of Communication News Laboratory and may be reached via wseditor@robinsonnews.com