I get out, I meet people. And, she adds, the treks up and down the supermarket aisles are good exercise. Though the United Nations has proclaimed 2001 the International Year of the Volunteer , the contributions of people like Sysko make a difference year in and year out. All are part of the Volunteers Coordinators Network, a group of about 70 organizations whose representatives meet monthly. The idea, says Karen Hakala of First Call for Help in Amherst, is to provide a way for those who coordinate and supervise volunteers to share ideas with their counterparts at other organizations.
Many volunteers are reluctant to draw attention to what they do.
For Ann Smeraldi of Northampton, the hours she spends at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Northampton are a way to express her gratitude to the nation's servicemen and women. Smeraldi, who became a volunteer through her involvement with the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, has recently started spending about four hours every Friday visiting women patients. They do look forward to our coming. The Amherst Family Center provides an enriching and supportive environment for Hampshire County families with children from birth through 5 years old. The center is located at the North Congregational Church in North Amherst.