Helping others keeps this 80-year-old happy and active

Joan Windis

Meet Joan Windis. She is 80 years young and always on the move. 

“Busy, busy, busy keeps you young,” said Windis. “I’m hardly home because I choose to be busy.”

Windis is a native of New York – Manhattan to be exact. She moved to Florida about 25 years ago when her husband passed away. 

She is always on the go and very involved in the community, helping different service organizations and nonprofits.

One group she has been with since 2002, is New Horizon’s for Widowed People and Friends. She served as president for six years. This organization is for widowed, divorced or women with dying spouses who need support of other women. 

“We play cards, go to the theatre, have picnics, potlucks and a Christmas party. The whole idea of this group is so you are not alone,” she said.

The group meets once a month at the Imperial Palms Apartments in their clubhouse. Windis says she enjoys being a part of this wonderful group of people. 

One of Windis’ hobbies is knitting. She loves to knit. She makes hats for the troops and for cancer patients going through chemotherapy. When she knits the hats, the dark colored hats she says are for the troops and the bright colors are for the chemo patients. 

Hats for the troops

The military have a special place in Windis’ heart. “My husband was in the service and my brother was also in the service. I think 911 affected me. It was very upsetting. It made me want to do more for our troops. Since 911, I have been collecting and sending items to our troops. One organization she helps is the nonprofit Operation: Military Matters started by two Seminole fifth graders. For the past year, she has been bringing them hats and toiletry donations so they can send them overseas. “It gives me a good feeling to know I’m doing something for someone wherever, whoever.”

When she’s not knitting for the troops, she’s knitting for family. She has two daughters and a granddaughter who live in New York along with other family members. She recently made 14 infinity scarves and took them to her family in New York. Her favorite time to knit is when she is watching television. 

Joan Windis collects items
for the military and gives
them to Operation Military
Matters founder Graci Tubbs

You also will find Windis collecting items like diapers, juice boxes, clothes, onesies, toys and other items for children. She brings everything to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Child Protection Agency for kids who are taken from their homes because of abuse or neglect.

She also gives clothes and food to the RCS Food Bank in Largo to help the poor. Another thing she likes to do is collect tabs from aluminum cans to donate to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. 

Not only does Windis do all of this in the community, but she also has a part time job working for S & S Casino Tours. She takes groups of people to Atlantic City. “Travel is fun,” said Windis. Even there she’s working her magic to collect items for the troops. “I give them tours and while on the bus, I tell them to save toiletries for the troops. I even ask the people who clean the rooms for extras. I tell them I have room in my suitcase to bring them back.” She’s been doing casino trips for 17 years. She loves this job and says her bosses are like family. 

Another place you’ll see Windis is at the Central Parks Performing Arts Center formerly the Largo Cultural Center. She’s the head usher and has been volunteering there since 2001. She also volunteers at the VA in St. Petersburg.

Windis has been active her whole life. She has had quite the career. Her past includes jobs like a medical assistant, real estate agent, travel agent, defensive driving instructor for AAA at the police department and she worked in a bank.

Windis is not only active, but healthy. “My doctor says I don’t have any health issues. I only take vitamins and minerals. So far, so good. I do my own cleaning and errands and cook a lot.” Windis says when she cooks, she cooks big and freezes meals. She even has an extra freezer for all her frozen meals. 

So what’s her secret to being active and healthy: “Do what pleases you, only be with happy people and stay away from negative people because that makes you negative.”

Windis says she doesn’t really need anything, so if she can help someone she tries to. She says she doesn’t have a lot of money, but likes to give it her all when she does something.

Her friends keep her busy too. Once a week she plays cards and the Chinese card game Mahjongg. 

She says even though she sees her friends weekly, they have a ritual every morning. “We call each other and say, ‘We made it. See you tomorrow.’”

And tomorrow is another day for Windis to help those around her. Because Windis is so busy, she tells her friends, “You’ll have to find me to bury me.”

Ringing the bell for needy, an experience a child won't forget

Graci and her grandfather collect donations
for the Salvation Army 

Every time we go to a store and there's a Salvation Army red kettle, my 9-year old daughter Graci asks me for change to donate. Sometimes I give it to her and other times we just walk by and say hello. I think my perspective has changed after hearing my daughter told me and the family about her experience as a bell ringer.

For the past several years, my dad has been volunteering with his Rotary group ringing the bell and collecting money for the Salvation Army. This year was no different, so I asked my daughter is she would like to go volunteer with her "Pa" and ring the bell. She was overjoyed and exclaimed, "Really, I get to ring the bell and collect money for the needy?"

She couldn't wait. She went on a Saturday afternoon for a two-hour shift.  She dressed in her Santa shirt and was ready to ring the bell with her Pa and another member of the Rotary.

They gave out candy canes to everyone who walked  by, even if they didn't donate. Graci said they gave out the candy canes to be in the Christmas spirit and make people happy. They went through more than 20 boxes of candy canes. Most people according to Graci were generous in their giving which ranged from few cents to their biggest donation of the day, a $20 bill.

Graci told us all about her day. She said they ran out of candy canes, and had to buy more.  She said some people told her they don't celebrate Christmas, so they didn't want a candy cane. Others took the candy canes and were delighted.

There were some that Graci said didn't take a candy cane maybe because they felt bad because they didn't give money. But Graci was quick to tell us that's not what it was all about. It was to make people happy.

Some people walked the opposite way of the kettle. Others like one 80-year-old woman, told her she never went past a bell ringer without giving something. Graci thought that was so cool!

Graci also got a few compliments that day. One lady made her day by telling her she was the cutest bell ringer she had ever seen. Graci said she couldn't believe one person pretended to give money into the kettle.

Overall, she loved ringing the bell and collecting money for people less fortunate. She said their kettle was filled to the top with money when they left.

Did you know the kettle idea started in 1891? It's true and this campaign is seen throughout the world. There are more than 25,000 red kettles manned with Salvation Army volunteers soliciting donations during the holiday.

This past year more than $144 million was raised according to the Salvation Army's website. This money helps the Salvation Army provide food, shelter and social services to nearly 30 million Americans in need.

If you ever get a chance to help ring the red kettle bell take the opportunity. I know it was a great experience for my daughter and is always a wonderful time for my dad. It also taught me a little something. I will always try to put a little spare change in the kettle because I know it is making a difference in people's lives.

A Woman's Life Passion: Volunteering and Helping People with Cancer

Darcelle O'Connor and LynnMarie Boltze

If she hears the word cancer or chemotherapy LynnMarie Boltze, 51 of Largo stops in her tracks and will give you a 30 second elevator speech about a nonprofit organization she volunteers for that helps people with cancer.  
It’s just in her blood. Boltze is and always has been a person with a passion for caring for others.

Ever since she was 10 years old she has been volunteering and taking care of people. She lights up when she talks about what she does as a volunteer. Her first volunteer job was in a convalescent at 10 years old. She then went on to be a candy striper and in her adult life volunteered with the American Cancer Society and Faces of Courage.

It’s just something Boltze loves to do. “If I could just volunteer full-time, I would do that, but I have to pay the bills,” says Boltze who also has a full-time job.

Boltze is no stranger to cancer, in 1992, she lost her grandmother to breast cancer. Two years later, in 1994, she lost her mother to breast cancer. Her mother was only 64 years old. Boltze was just 31 at the time. “It’s my passion because it is not only touched my life, but it’s sadly touching friend’s lives.”

Boltze is a Florida native, born and raised. She says she was the first one in her circle of friends to have someone close have cancer and die from it.  After her mom died, she says it seemed like others would lean on her for support and information. She says friends wanted to know how my family dealt with my mom’s cancer, how it affected us and how long a person lived once told they had cancer.

Boltze says she was honest with her friends. Twenty years ago, you didn’t have support groups like you do now. And the information about cancer wasn’t as easily accessible like today. When her mom was first diagnosed with cancer she relied on American Cancer Society for help. As the cancer progressed her family had Lifepaht Hospice of Tampa at their side.

 “In my mom’s case the doctor gave my mom 3 months, but we were blessed to get 6 months,” said Boltze.

Even though her mom died from cancer rather quickly, she says she reminded her friends that not everyone with cancer has a death sentence.

And for the past 14 years, Boltze continues to remind people through the nonprofit organization Faces of Courage that cancer can be beat. This Tampa Bay area organization founded by a breast cancer survivor, Peggie Sherry, provides free camps and events for women and children with cancer or blood illnesses. “I love what I do. Now, I try and become more like a resource for people,” says Boltze.

Faces of Courage Camp 2013

One of the big event Faces of Courage offers is a three day camp for women. It was just held September 6-8 in Brandon. About 115 women with all different cancers including women in remission attended the camp.
“At camp we try to hold onto there is life after cancer and it is very beatable.”

One person who attends the camp is a friend of Boltze and breast cancer survivor.  She is 55 year old Darcelle O’Connor, who had two different types of breast cancer.  Boltze met O’Connor when she had just finished chemotherapy. O’Connor had a mastectomy and started reconstruction on her right breast. Boltze says O’Connor told her the doctor wasn’t going to reconstruct the left breast because she had an 80 % chance of the cancer coming back and wouldn’t reconstruct for 3-5 years. Boltze couldn’t believe she wasn’t able to have the other breast reconstructed and convinced O’Connor to see another doctor. Last year she had her breast reconstructed and according to Boltze is so happy. O’Connor calls Boltze her “Angel sent from God.”

Boltze knows what it is like, to a degree to lose a breast. At age 17 doctors found masses on her breast and she had the right one removed. It didn’t end up being cancer, but it was such a traumatic thing to go through at a young age. For years she had to have mammograms done every 6 months. Boltze says even though she lost a breast, she never had to go through what these women have had to with hearing the words, “You have cancer.”

Boltze has to deal with death more than most people. As a volunteer she has seen many success stories over the years of cancer survivors, but sadly has seen people pass away.  She says death is a part of life and she’s learned how to deal with death. “I pray, hold them, to talk to God and thank God for letting me be in the transition as they go back to be with their Maker.” She thinks of being there for someone’s death as a privilege and honor. Over the years she says she has become so close to so many people at the camp. One in particular is a 37 year old friend she has known for 6 years, a friend who calls her “big sis.” This friend wasn’t able to attend the camp this past September because she was in the hospital battling her 3^rd bout with cancer as it came back.

The friendships she has made and helping people as they battle serious illnesses is something Boltze won’t ever give up. She volunteers because it helps her put life in perspective. “It makes me realize when I have a bad day, I don’t have a bad day, I have a great day. I feed off of them and they are my reward,” says Boltze.

A reward that is a two-way street because of a passion that involves caring for others. 

Here are some sites you can take a look at to learn more about Faces of Courage:
 www.facesofcourage.org
 www.bodiesofcourage.org

Here is a wonderful video a friend of mine Jim Webb, owner of The Webb Works Video Productions, put together with some of the women from bodies of courage and their stories.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgl0xi59164