62°F
weather icon Clear

Lend A Hand recognizes volunteers

Lend A Hand of Boulder City recently honored the work of its volunteers.

“Without them, we wouldn’t be here,” said Shannon Eckman, Lend A Hand’s executive director.

During a brunch Saturday, Jan. 20, at Railroad Pass to thank its volunteer force, Eckman said Lend A Hand has 74 volunteers to help its 367 clients. These volunteers provide transportation, in-home services and companionship and facilitate equipment loan to seniors and disabled people in Boulder City. It operates on a donation basis, thereby not charging clients to help them.

Lend A Hand usually honors its volunteers at a dinner. This year, however, board President Georgia Wenzel said the organization held a brunch for the first time. The board also did not give out any individual volunteer awards as it had in past years.

“I started out to fill my day up,” Mary Boettcher said of why she began volunteering. “My dad had done it, and it was such a rewarding experience for him.”

Boettcher’s father, Jerry, was one of the original drivers for the nonprofit, which was established in 1989. She has been a volunteer since 2010.

“I lost my job, drove to town and signed up at Lend A Hand,” she said. “It saved my life.”

Fellow volunteer Dave Dempsey said he was “strongly encouraged” to start volunteering by a friend of his. Now he has been doing it for several years, and he said he enjoys it.

“The people are really interesting,” he said.

Husband and wife team Jerry and Lori McHugh have been volunteering for approximately 10 years. Both said they do it to give back.

“We want to give back because we’ve been blessed with so many things in this life,” Jerry said.

“I grew up poor,” Lori added. “This is my way of giving back to other people.” The organization assists seniors and disabled residents in Boulder City, helping them remain independent. Its goal is to improve their quality of life by showing them that someone cares, relieving their stress in getting places and helping them to stretch their budgets.

According to Eckman, Lend A Hand is in “desperate need” of more volunteers. Only about half of the volunteers on the current list are active.

“We do need more volunteers on a daily basis,” she said.

To volunteer, call Lend A Hand at 702-294-2363.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.

MOST READ
THE LATEST
Reframing language in mental health

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of.

A busy day at Mitchell Elementary

Thursday, April 17, 2025 was an especially magical day at Mitchell Elementary.

Annual Junior Ranger Day goes off as a hit

Junior Ranger Day is all about “inspiring the next generation of environmental stewards and connecting our community with Lake Mead in a fun, hands-on way,” Park Ranger Max Dotson said.

New tradition starts at King Elementary

Nearly a decade ago, a longstanding tradition at King Elementary came to an end.

Where passion meets performance

BCHS has many performing and fine art programs to meet the needs of our very talented youth in Boulder City.

All that jazz

Saturday, the Las Vegas Jazz Society and Boulder City Friends of the Library hosted an afternoon of jazz music in the library’s amphitheater. More than 100 people turned out for the free concert.

Mitchell proud to be Leader In Me Lighthouse School

It is so great to see our students back in school this week after spring break. As we head into this last quarter of the school year, it is an important time to reflect on the year as we begin planning for next year.

What is occupational therapy?

Occupational therapists ask, “What matters to you?” instead of “What’s the matter with you?”

All Aboard!

This past weekend, the Boulder City Parks and Recreation gym played host to the Spring Model Train Show. There, hobby enthusiasts bought, sold and displayed their trains.