HEART OF STEELE

There’s been some talk again over the last week about raising the retirement age for younger people from 65 (or a little older, depending on when you were born) to 70, maybe 75.

All due respect to those proposing this abomination, the retirement age tied to Social Security payments only an issue for people who can’t afford to retire anyway. And it will crush those forced to retire early for health reasons; they’ll receive a much-reduced benefit.

But I’m not here to argue a political point. Retirement’s on my mind this week because of Joe Stiles and Tom Hyland.

Both retired from Federated Insurance, they now run a small nonprofit. Furnishing Hope works with Steele County social service agencies and nonprofits to provide folks who are starting over with donated furniture–living room, dining room, bedroom.

As a reporter, there’s nothing I enjoy more than talking with people who love helping their neighbors, and the small nonprofits often surprise me the most.

Stiles talked about his long-time connection with St. Vincent de Paul, which provides a wide range of services. When talking with the agency’s clients, he saw people living in homes without furnishings, and he knew there were others ready and willing to donate furniture.

The two men planned carefully, checking in with other agencies to ensure they weren’t duplicating efforts. Their work is tucked into a niche few people in the community even know exists, and it’s easy to see their passion and energy for it.

Retirement age–whatever that means for you–should be a time to pursue these kinds of projects, to volunteer, to mentor the next generation, to help others.

Imagine what good could be done if more of those “golden years” everyone talks about were a time when we could worry less about our own security and open our whole hearts to the community.