Carolyn Childers

Age: 75.

Family: My husband, the late Merlin Childers; children, Keith Childers, Doug Childers, Kathy Grove and the late Les Childers; 14 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; seven adopted grandchildren; three stepgrandchildren; two step-great-grandchildren.

Residence: Tierra Buena.

Occupation: Homemaker.

How long have you lived in the Yuba-Sutter area? Born here.

Hobbies, interests: It used to be gardening and cooking, but I got too busy doing other things.

For what groups do you volunteer? Daughters of the Golden West, South Butte Parlor — a member for almost 54 years and am NDGW past president.

I've also been state chairman for various projects.

I joined when a charter member, a friend of my parents, stopped by the house and said "sign this application." I was about 22. My mother couldn't join because she was not born in California.

I have enjoyed the purpose of the organization as well as the friendship and the history of California.

St. John's Episcopal Church in Marysville — for about 20 years. I was first asked to serve on the altar guild, which I still do, have worked with the food shelf, am volunteering in the office one day a week and am assistant to the church treasurer — three of us volunteer to staff the church office during the week.

Community Memorial Museum of Sutter County in Yuba City — I first volunteered for the museum a few times at its first location in Carriage Square during the mid-1960s. I've been with them for about 20 years at their location on Butte House Road. I am a docent and greet people.

When my children were younger I was involved in Little League, Scouts, Camp Fire Girls, 4-H — I used to teach cooking — and was a room mother.

I guess it's the way I grew up — I saw something that needed to be done and I did it. As a young kid, I baby-sat the neighbor boy while his mom did the housework.

How do you fit volunteering into your schedule? I'm so busy — I feel I wave at myself going up and down the road. I do let some things go for the moment to do some volunteering and catch up later.

Words of advice: To volunteer, you don't have to have a skill, you just have to have a desire to help someone. Get out there and you'll feel good about yourself for doing something for others.

Quote: By volunteering, "I get the satisfaction of helping others, the pleasure on people's faces when you do help them."

Volunteer of the Week runs Tuesdays. To submit the name of a volunteer to be featured, contact Community Editor Leticia Gutierrez at 749-6552.