Rudy Tomasik’s journey to be a volunteer started long before he joined Rebuilding Together Saratoga County (RTSC) 13 years ago. It is a path that developed him into a compassionate contributor that brings his brand of vibrant enthusiasm to projects and the organization.
To meet Rudy is a joy. His mild manner is welcoming, providing reassurance that you’re in the presence of a man brimming with empathy and kindness.
“I must admit, I have some selfish reasons for volunteering,” Rudy claims. “Once I retired, I needed a purpose, and RTSC has served as an outlet for my need to contribute while redefining my purpose.” For decades, that purpose was wrapped up in his profession as an engineer. A career that brought him to remote corners of the world, provided him an opportunity to meet his wife Kathryn, and then returned to upstate New York to raise their daughter. Now in his 70s, Rudy’s ambition to help those around him is not slowing in the least.
Originally finding RTSC through the Office of the Aging’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Rudy rolls up his sleeves and slogs it out, even in the hottest of summer days with a team of other retirees: the Weekday Warriors. He values the camaraderie found in working with other volunteers. “I have to say, I’ve never met a volunteer with RTSC that I didn’t like.” On job sites or meeting up for a meal to make plans for future project, Rudy has built a community of friends that keeps him engaged.
Rudy makes it very clear that his selfless volunteering isn’t a solitary contribution. “There’s no way to do this without mentioning the unsung heroes,” Rudy explains. “My wife is one of them. She allows me the time to do this. This takes me away from home and that time apart is her donation to the greater cause at hand.” He goes onto to explain that if it weren’t for those providing financial and resource support, there would be no materials for projects to be tackled. “Those that donate to RTSC make it possible for us to build what we build,” Rudy points out.
The time he spends on job sites provides him with joy and plenty of great stories to share with his family. One project of note involved a homeowner who struggled to leave her house since she requires the use of a scooter for mobility and her home’s entryway door was nearly 30 inches off the ground without a ramp. With a lot of pre-work and a couple of days on site, the RTSC team built the ramp that allows for easy access and egress to the home. Rudy goes onto say, “We asked her to try the ramp out with her scooter, and she immediately started crying. She said, ‘I’m so happy. It’s been six months since I’ve been out of the house. Now I can go and get my mail.’”
When asked about what volunteering to help your neighbors means to him, Rudy immediately praises about each of the volunteers he works with regularly. “Dean Gunther spearheads so many projects, making things function. John Collins puts the pieces together. There are so many – engineers, doctors, other professionals that want to give back. Really, it’s our sawdust therapy,” Rudy says warmly.
It's the camaraderie that has kept Rudy coming back to RTSC. “It’s hard to explain,” Rudy laments. “Giving back has put years on to my life. Just to know you’ve helped someone – it means so much.”
Rudy embodies the spirit of “neighbors helping neighbors” that make him not the best just amongst RTSC, but the best amongst humans.
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