At 88, John Is Still Giving Back

At 88, John Anderson’s great joy in life comes from bringing sunshine into the life of others.

His lessons of service learned through the Scouts as a child have never been forgotten. “I learned then that whenever you give to someone, you are becoming a part of that person’s life for the time being, making it better or more interesting. You learn from that person different ways of looking at things.”

When John was getting ready for retirement from Procter & Gamble, he was recruited by the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to visit kids in bed rest. He did that for 20 years.

Since marrying his second wife, Helen, 52 years ago, he has spread his time among a variety of volunteer activities from his church choir to his condo board to work with a hospice in Florida.

It was in 2010 John and Helen moved into Maple Knoll Village, and he is not about to slow down making his difference in the world. These days, when he isn’t visiting with his wife who has Alzheimer’s (and often singing to her), he can be found participating in the Sharps and Flats singing group, helping residents with computer issues, being a ‘friendly visitor’ in Maple Knoll’s Bodmann Skilled Nursing and Hospice units and volunteering in the Montessori center where he mostly reads to the 3 to 5 year olds.

“My time in the Montessori center is like therapy for me,” he said. “The kids are so open and trusting and accepting in the way they deal with adults. Life is so much simpler for them. They just love.”

John is also a member of Maple Knoll Communities’ Living Legacy Society and has graciously committed a planned gift through a trust.

For all of these reasons, he is one of 20 honorees who were recognized recently by the Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council with Voices of Giving Awards. The Awards recognize philanthropists who contribute with planned gifts – and so much more – to nonprofit organizations that have a special place in their heart. In fact, a benefiting organization nominates each honoree. It has been such a wonderful experience for me to help them each of the past eight years with post event publicity.

All of the2019 Voices of Giving Honorees include:  Joseph and Frank Keenan (nominated by CET); Lori and David Zombek (nominated by Children, Inc.); Terry Lemmerman (nominated by Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park); Carol and Carl Huether (nominated by Cincinnati Public Radio); Joe and Mary Brinkmeyer (nominated by Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens); Terrence Lilly (nominated posthumously by the Freestore Foodbank); Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison (nominated by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, Laura is honored posthumously); Barbara H. ‘Bobbie’ Ford (nominated by Hospice of Cincinnati); Carol and Larry Neuman (nominated by the Jewish Cemeteries of Greater Cincinnati); Beth and Louis Guttman (nominated by the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati); Pat and Lew French (nominated by Life Enriching Communities – Twin Lakes); Martha Gelwicks Huheey (nominated posthumously by Life Enriching Communities – Twin Towers); Ray and Donna Bowman (nominated by LifeSpan, Inc.); Dianne and Tom Robinson (nominated by Magnified Giving); John Anderson (nominated by Maple Knoll Communities, Inc.); Christa Bauke (nominated by Mt. St. Joseph University); Nancy Perry (nominated by Northern Kentucky University); Jennifer Leonard (nominated by Redwood School and Rehabilitation Center, Inc.); Elaine Rairden (nominated by St. Vincent de Paul – Cincinnati); and Elizabeth and Bradley Younger (nominated by YMCA Camp Ernst).

The 2019 Voices of Giving Committee includes Carol Serrone, chair; Lillian Derkson, Butch Elfers, Melissa Gayer, Misty Griesinger, David Harris, Michelle Mancini, Lisa Roberts-Rosser, Sue Ellen Stuebing, Becky Timberlake, Dan Virzi, and Michelle Zeis.

To see all of the event photos, please see the photo album below.  NOTE:  When you move your mouse over the image, you will see an arrow. Left click your mouse on the arrow to move to the next photo.  Paula Norton took the second half of the photos. If you click on a photo, you will see in the description if it was taken by her. Please credit Paula if you use that image.

The Greater Cincinnati Planned Giving Council is a professional association for people whose work includes developing, marketing, and administering charitable planned gifts for non-profit institutions and a variety of other legal and financial settings.