By TRACIE WHITE / Mercury
News
randy
Richmond plans carnivals, sets up raffles, attends casino nights,
leads parades, cooks at barbecues, rounds up volunteers. And when
he's not organizing or recruiting, he visits shut-ins or veterans
in the hospital.
Volunteer work is just what he does. He likes to help people.
On Christmas Day, he can always be found volunteering behind the
scenes in the kitchen at the St. James Senior Center in downtown
San Jose.
A 50-year-old disabled vet who suffers from chronic back pain,
Richmond is not a senior and he's not getting paid, but for 16 years
he's shown up at St. James early on Christmas morning to help make
sure that the seniors, many with no place else to go, share a beautiful
Christmas luncheon together with friends.
"He works his tail off,'' says Kirk Sorrell, recreation director
at St. James. "He barks out orders, and they're followed. We seat
about 600 people. Things have to be organized or it turns to chaos.
He gives 110 percent.''
"More plates!'' Richmond barks out. People jump. "More roast beef!''
he shouts. And more people jump.
Maybe it's the veteran in him, but he knows how to make things
happen.
"I just love to volunteer,'' says Richmond, taking a break from
one of his many different volunteer jobs for a cup of coffee at
a Willow Glen cafe near his home. "It keeps you truly happy, gives
you a sense of direction, of purpose. If people did more of it,
our society would be a lot better off.''
Richmond is not shy about his passion for helping. In fact, he
wears it on his forehead. A red, white and blue cap covered in pins
shows off his affinity for the American Legion, the American Veterans,
Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Veterans, the Honor Guards,
the Redmen. When a fireman walks by, he recruits him for an upcoming
parade. When a friend passes, he reminds him of a committee meeting
later that day.
He's a big supporter of veterans, but he's also got a special place
in his heart for St. James.
"Some of the seniors don't have anything,'' he says. "It's a place
people can go and get help.''
Activities last all day on Christmas at St. James for the mostly
low-income seniors who put on their best clothes and come in droves
to play pingpong and mah-jongg, dance and sing. But mostly, they
come for the Christmas feast.
Each donation
of $7 will pay for one lunch and a small gift at each place
setting.
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