Feb Volunteers of the Month - Jerr & Ginny

We have an amazing community of volunteers who faithfully and generously give their time and energy to serve seniors throughout Boulder County. In an effort to recognize their work, and so that our entire community can get to know our volunteers, we started our Volunteer of the Month award program.

This month, we’re excited to to introduce you to two volunteers—Jerr Dillahunt and Ginny Cash, our February 2019 Volunteers of the Month. Jerr and Ginny donate their time and energy to Carry-Out Caravan and are involved in every step from order taking to shopping, checking bags to delivering. Read on and get to know Jerr and Ginny.

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Where did you grow up?

Ginny: I grew up in Southern California.

Jerr: I was born in Louisville, KY. I stayed there until I was 12 because my dad was a chemical engineer. He moved us to Michigan for another job. So at this point in my life, I’ve spent the majority of my life in Michigan. Although Colorado is catching up now.

How did you end up in Colorado?

Ginny: We were together in Michigan from ‘88 until ‘95. Then we moved here in ‘95 together. So we’ve been here for 23 years. We said, “Oh, when we retire we’ll move out here.” Well, we didn’t wait until we retired.

Jerr: Yeah, we had an epiphany one night. We were talking about it and Ginny wasn’t real happy with the job she had. And we were both tired of the corporate world. So we had this epiphany—why are we waiting to come to where we want to be. So we said, “Let’s go!” And we did. We put the house up for sale. Sold it. And moved ourselves out here and started a new life. What’s really amazing was that we moved out here and Ginny has a cousin here, but that was about all. And now—

Ginny: My brother moved out three months after we did and then my kids moved out here. And now we have grandkids and nieces and nephews. So we have more family here than anywhere.

Jerr: You usually hear about people our age chasing their grandkids where they go. And our kids chased us.

Ginny: It’s really like a bonus. Picking this place and then having your children as grown adults here. So we really have a life here now.

What was your first job?

Ginny: What do you mean by a job? Like past babysitting? That’s all I did. Then I worked in a drug store towards the end of high school. Then I moved to Hawaii for four months by myself so I worked in retail and as a waitress and did anything I could to make money for the summer.

Jerr: My first job was babysitting, too. I was 12 and I was babysitting. My first real job was in high school. I was 16 or 17 and I got a job working for a landscaping company laying sod ten hours a day. It’s a rough job. 

What has been one of your proudest moments?

Ginny: When we have a big family dinner. And I look at the family that we have. Our kids, all three of them, and our grandkids are all good people. And I think that’s my proudest feeling.

Jerr: I feel the same way. I don’t have a moment. It’s just thinking about the whole thing. We’re fortunate. We’ve got three kids that we really like. I mean, you love your kids anyway—you should. But liking them is something else. And we like them because they’re good people. And they do good stuff. And they’re bringing up their kids the right way. And we can be proud of them.

What are you most passionate about?

Jerr: I’m very passionate about getting involved in the community and helping people. Aside from that, my hobby-passion is photography. That’s my biggest passion. But ever since I retired I figured out two things—I had the time and I felt I had the obligation. I’ve always felt that way. If you have been fortunate in your life, it behooves you to try and help others.

Ginny: Mine is pots. I’m a pretty serious potter. I’m involved in two arts groups in Longmont. I’m on the board of one. And cooking is a big passion of mine. Politics is a big passion of mine. And of course, I second Jerr, being involved in the community.

What are your hobbies?

Jerr: We both like to golf.

Ginny: We like to hike. We’re passionate about our dogs. We’ve always had dogs. We have one dog currently. The reason I bring it up is because we’ve met a whole new group of people with this dog. One or the other of us, and sometimes both, go to the dog park once or twice a day. And it’s the same tribe of people. It’s a community.

What’s one item on your bucket list?

Ginny: I’d like to learn to speak fluent Spanish. I believe, sometimes, that it’s not that important to have a bucket list. It’s more important to really feel and be connected to the time that you’re in then. As long as you have passions and things that drive you, you move onto the next point. I think a lot of people spend too much time sort of fantasizing about their bucket list.

Jerr: When you asked that question, I realized I don’t have specific things. I’ve done—we’ve done—a fair amount of traveling. I could always do more. I haven’t really had a bucket list. I’ve done most of the things that I’ve meant to do in life.

Ginny: I think a big part is that the older you get you want to feel settled in what you’re doing now and not piling it on much later. Because, otherwise, you miss what you’re doing now. And the older you get, the faster time goes by.

Who inspires you?

Ginny: I’d say my brother inspires me. He is so handy and good. He also is a very loving, giving person. There’s something about the way he approaches life.

Jerr: First and foremost, my wife inspires me.

Ginny: Well, that’s very sweet.

Jerr: She does. Ever since we’ve been married, I marvel at what a good soul she has. Without lecturing me, she has made me a better person. Because I see the things that she does and the care that she has for others.

Why do you volunteer?

Jerr: I would just sum it up this way: I get more back than I give.

Ginny: That’s a great summary.

Volunteering with us is easy, flexible and fun! Join our volunteer team today and, like Jerr & Ginny, make a deep impact in the lives of your senior neighbors.