Volunteer of the Month: Robert O’Connor
By Mel Rubenstein
I think what you will find especially interesting in this story about Robert O’Connor is how his long professional career set the stage for what he now does as a volunteer.
O’Connor was born in Unadilla, NY. He has a long history of volunteering which began when he was a cub scout and then a boy scout in Unadilla. He is proud to say that the Unadilla troop is still listed as Troop #1 in scouting with over 100 years of continuous active scout clubs.
After graduating high school, he earned an associate’s degree in electronics from Broome Technical Community College. In 1956 he went to work for the GE Company in Syracuse where he worked for the next two and a half years. Robert went back to Unadilla to work in his father’s hardware store where he sold and repaired TVs and appliances.
O’Connor had long desired to broaden his education, especially in history. That led him first to Hartwick College in Oneonta then to SUNY Albany where he earned a master’s in history, and then to Auburn Community College as assistant professor of history where he taught the next six years.
During the summers of 1972 and 1973 Robert was selected to attend two post-grad courses in demography at Cornell University. Here he studied the aging processes of people and how health, mobility, and environmental issues affected their lives.
O’Connor said; “I wanted to be directly involved and help people so I became a member of the Cayuga County Planning Agency from 1974-1975 and advocated for older people. Among their needs are getting to medical appointments and going shopping for food and household supplies. Working with the Office of Aging, we formed the SCAT Van transportation system for older and disabled people, which is still in operation today.”
In 1975, O’Connor became an active member of the Onondaga County Office of Aging, where he spent the next 30 years.
“As director and developer of many community service projects, we found ways that helped older people stay in their homes longer,” he said.
O’Connor coordinated this effort with organizations like the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Centro, PEACE, Inc. and others.
In 1998, O’Connor retired from full time work and became the part-time coordinator of the Health Insurance Information, Counseling and Assistance Program in the Office of Aging where he spent the next seven years.
His motivation was to offer a free service to help people understand their Medicare plans and what options they have. Many people are unaware of this free service that assists with understanding Medicare and its many complications. No insurance plans are sold through this program. Trained volunteer counselors assist people in this important program.
In 1999 a friend, who knew of O’Connor’s involvement with older people, suggested that he get involved with AARP. That immediately struck a cord with O’Connor who signed up for an orientation with AARP.
This involved a three day seminar from the national AARP office and was held in Florida. This knowledge led him to become a legislative coordinator for AARP in Onondaga County where he has served since 2000 as a regular volunteer.
O’Connor said; “Other local members of AARP also assist and currently, we are contacting legislators at both the State and Congress levels on legislation to reduce the high cost of prescription drugs.
One of the bills in Congress, HR 3, which AARP supports would address such costs and was recently passed by the House of Representatives. The purpose of HR3 is to establish a fair price negotiation program that would lower the cost of drugs, protect the Medicare program from excessive price increases, establish an out-of-pocket maximum for Medicare part D enrollees, and help reduce costs in other ways.
In a recent article, O’Connor said; “I am writing as AARP’s lead volunteer in New York’s 24th Congressional District to let Congress know that many of us want Congress to pass HR 3 as soon as possible. Recently several of us from our local AARP chapter delivered 3,650 petitions (from residents of this congressional district) to Rep. John Katko requesting he help with these changes to cut prescription prices.”
Additionally, over 10,000 petitions to lower drug costs were signed at AARP’s booth during the 2019 State Fair.
There are a number of bills to be introduced at the next session of the New York State Legislature designed to reduce the price of prescription drugs. As president of the local chapter of AARP, O’Connor understands these bills and is getting the word out to its members. The chapter’s advocacy team is also visiting legislators and advocating for the bills that will be the most effective in lowering the cost of drugs.
Also, the local chapter has a very active community service committee. Collections of food goods for the InterReligious Food Consortium, used eyeglasses for distribution overseas by the Lions Club, and Lab Robes (made by chapter members) are distributed to home-bound people through various Meals-On-Wheels programs. And, can tabs are collected and donated to the Shriner’s Burn Hospital.
The chapter has group meetings at the North Syracuse Community Center, plus several social gatherings. For current information about this local AARP chapter, and how you can receive a newsletter, contact the local chapter office at 315-454-0104 or visit the web site at aarponondagachapter243.org.
O’Connor is also a volunteer at the United Methodist Church in Fayetteville, as chair of the Outreach/ Missions Committee. This committee promotes food drives, collects donations for the FM Food Pantry and has special fund raisers for many mission projects. If that isn’t enough, he is an active participant in the annual October Crop Walk at Onondaga Lake Park which benefits various Food Pantries locally and world-wide.
This columnist says: “Thank you Robert O’Connor for all you do and what you mean to our community.”
O’Connor is married, has two children, and lives in Fayetteville.
To recommend someone with a stellar record of volunteering to be featured in this column contact Mel Rubenstein: [email protected] or 315-682-7162.
