”A native of Upstate New York, Diane moved to California as a young woman and enjoyed a long career with Hughes Aircraft Company and Computer Sciences Corporation. She was widowed for a second time in 2004 and retired the following year. “I joined Assistance League after reading an advertisement for a new member coffee,” she reflects. “I wanted to move into the next phase of my life, and I was also looking for an organization to donate my husband’s clothing to. It was a win-win!
Little did Diane know, she’d wind up making great friends and finding a new purpose. Her story is one that so many in the organization can relate to: she dove in headfirst, landed on different committees, wound up in a leadership role, and has since become absorbed. “It fills a void when you retire to have something meaningful to do,” she reflects. “Being an Assistance League volunteer has become my life; it’s pretty much full time for me now.
She’s far from alone in that respect. Last year, more than 300 members of the Huntington Beach chapter of the national organization volunteered 46,000 hours, and over the past three years, their efforts made a difference in the lives of 52,000 people. “Being a volunteer and improving the lives of children and adults in the community is so rewarding,” Diane insists. “It’s wonderful to see the smiles on the faces of those we serve.”
