(Spencer)--The Iowa Lakes Community College Board of Trustees held their monthly meeting Tuesday in Spencer and received an update on the growth of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program or RSVP from Director Mari Duncan.
Since September 2025, RSVP has doubled its active volunteer base in Spencer from 39 volunteers to 78 volunteers, with additional volunteers expected to join the program in the coming weeks.
Volunteer service hours continue to rise as well. During calendar year 2025, Clay County volunteers contributed 1,354 hours of service. Through May 2026, volunteers have already logged more than 1,426 hours, surpassing the previous year's total.
Duncan reported that RSVP volunteers contributed more than 34,000 hours of service during the 2025-26 grant year. Using the national value of volunteer service, those hours represent more than $1 million in economic impact returned to local communities.
Duncan also shared updates on RSVP's involvement in emergency preparedness and disaster recovery efforts and highlighted efforts to address loneliness and isolation among older adults.
