Volunteer Spotlight

Florence Vilmont and Tammi Martin

Tammi has always had a heart for seniors, starting with her grandmother who lived in their household.  “When I was little I had a paper route in a retirement village and always stopped to visit along the way,” she relates.  “Wherever I have lived, I have been been drawn to seniors either through work or in a volunteer capacity.”

Tammi became a Friendly Visitor with Heartland in 2001 and was assigned to Florence Vilmont and her husband Chet of rural Gilbert.  When Florence’s husband became ill, Tammi’s friendship was a constant for them as they moved from the farmstead into Bethany Manor.  Now Florence resides alone in Timberland Village in Story City and  Tammi still visits regularly.

Meeting together at least once a month, Tammi and Florence have made a fantastic match. They share an Iowa background, love of nature, handcrafted objects, cooking, ISU degrees, music, and literature.  “We never run out of subjects to talk about and I always come away learning something,” says Tammi.  “Most times I feel like we’re just a couple of girls that just like to get together and chat.”

“Our senior generation has so much to offer, “ Tammi continues.  “I think we really miss out in today’s “ segregated” society unless we seek out the companionship of one another. Heartland’s Friendly Visitor program provides the perfect opportunity to do this. It helps me gain perspective on this whole “life” thing.

Other volunteer commitments in Tammi’s life have included pet visits, other intergenerational opportunities, ACAC Board, and various committees at her Fellowship.  She also still volunteers occasionally at Worldly Goods.  Her main hobbies are hiking, horseback riding, cycling, books, music, and movies.

Yes, there is quite a gap of years between 90-something and 30-something but what a joyous bridge has been built to travel back and forth!  Thank you, Tammi and Florence, for your inspiring example of intergenerational friendship.