BRIGHAM CITY – Thom Spencer is a Brigham City volunteer extraordinaire.
He is retired and loves to putter in his garden. He moved to the Box Elder County Seat in 2016. A few years ago, he found a posting of a need for community volunteers in his utility bill. The posting ended up being for an Americorps Community Volunteer program. He signed up and is currently working with four senior citizens, three men and one woman in the Brigham City area.
“I thought, how am I going to feel in a few years when I am alone? I hope that when I’m at the point where I could use some company or a helping hand, there will be someone there for me,” Spencer said. “I decided that while I’m in good health, I want to serve those who need that companionship and help.”
The retired corporate communications worker said he was at the point in his life he could offer a helping hand to someone. He decided while he could he wanted to serve the community and the elderly who need companionship and help.
“I was looking for a way to give back to the community and keep busy now that I’m retired so I got involved,” he said. “It’s been a wonderful experience. I work with a gentleman in his 90’s who has a phenomenal memory. He can recall his grandfather talking about being in the Civil War before he passed away.”
The man also talked about a lot of his friends that died while serving in WWII.
“His sight is gone so I read to him out loud,” Spencer said. “I read his scriptures to him and some of his books. Right now, I’m reading the ‘Boys in the Boat.’ He will comment on things he remembers during that time period.”
This client calls him Uncle Thom.
Jigsaw puzzle worked on by Brigham City resident Thom Spencer and one of the clients with whom he volunteers. Photo courtesy of Utah Commission on Service and Volunteerism.
Another client was hesitant about receiving weekly visits. Spencer discovered his client’s love for puzzles and cats, so he got a cat puzzle.
Now the man requests Spencer visit three times a week. Spencer has a great ability to form bonds with his clients and how the bond grows.
He takes the client shopping and takes him to places like the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge and other destinations to get him out of his house.
“When I started working on his jigsaw puzzles it rekindled the enjoyment I had doing those puzzles,” he said. “Now my wife Lenore and I started doing them at home.”
Spencer said what he likes most about volunteering is the special relationships that develop between him and his clients.
“I track my hours. They want us to keep track of the hours they are funded to by the state,” he said. ”I try to keep it within 15 to 20 hours a week.”
The Spencers moved to the Northern Utah community to be closer to family, but living there has been a blessing for him especially to have those he helps in his life.
“This volunteer work may be the reason we moved here,” he said. “I love it here in Brigham City. It doesn’t have a lot of room to grow; they have mountains on one side, it can only grow up.”
Spencer said as far as he knows he is the only man in Box Elder County working as an Americorps Senior Volunteer. There is one other woman but there is definitely a need for more people to get involved.