Pat Benke is a valued volunteer who is always willing to fill a last minute need for a driver. She has been a loyal volunteer to LAH since 2012.
PAT’S STORY:
My ties to Boulder City go back to 1952 when my parents moved here from southern California because the schools here were far superior to California schools at that time. My dad worked as a postal mail carrier and I remember walking his route with him in the summertime. Then my Dad, Ben Hann, became an insurance salesman for Prudential, but moved back to San Bernardino in 1958 when the Magnesium plant in Henderson closed and he lost much of his customer base.
My husband and I returned to BC in 2003. In 2005, my parents’ home burned to the ground and I talked them into buying a new home in BC. At that time they were in their 80’s and I was not comfortable with Daddy driving in Las Vegas to their many doctor appointments, so I did all that driving for them.
By 2007 they had both passed, and I had heard of Lend A Hand. Knowing what a valuable service the driving was to my parents, and since I was retired, I began volunteering for Lend A Hand as a driver. Then one day I was asked if I would be interested in helping out with other services for our disabled seniors, and I said yes. So now I dust and vacuum for a lady with COPD, I have changed sheets for a widower who cannot do it for himself, and I read to an elderly man with macular degeneration once a week.
The time I spend providing these services is so very much appreciated by the clients and I thoroughly enjoy hearing their stories and being able to do this for them. It is a “win-win” situation and a real blessing for me.
