MONTICELLO, NY — Laura Quigley, Sullivan County’s community resources commissioner, and Lise-Anne Deoul, the director of the county’s Office for the Aging, announced the appointment of Monika Roosa as coordinator of the county’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP).

“As a native of Sullivan County, Monika already brings a deep knowledge of the communities and people she’ll be assisting,” said Quigley. “She’s also enthusiastic, committed and capable—just like our RSVP volunteers upon whom so many citizens and organizations rely.”

“I’m thrilled to have Monika on board—she’s become part of a team that’s focused on meeting the needs and exceeding the expectations of the thousands of seniors we serve,” said Deoul. 

Roosa said that her door is always open. “My plan is to grow this valuable program and offer even more opportunities to seniors.”

A graduate of Monticello High School and SUNY Sullivan, Roosa earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education from SUNY New Paltz and a master’s degree in educational technology from the New York Institute of Technology. She taught science and reading at Ellenville Central School and handled human resources for 150 employees at a Middletown manufacturing facility.

“I liked being the person they could come see to help them,” she said.

She now lives in Wurtsboro with husband Michael, son Preston, daughter Jovi and two rescue dogs, Sam and Ben.

“I’m a longtime volunteer myself,” Roosa said, “and since I’ve been on the ‘other’ side of things before, it’s really important for me to show my appreciation to volunteers.”

Now she’s overseeing nearly 130 of them through Sullivan County’s RSVP Office.

“It’s a great thing, people helping people,” she said. “We’re getting seniors out and about, keeping them engaged and involved.”

Volunteers with RSVP serve where they wish, from thrift shops to the Delaware Valley Arts Alliance to the Federation for the Homeless.

“We even have volunteers who are homebound and knit or crochet hats, mittens and blankets for us,”

Roosa said. “In fact, the RSVP application gives people the opportunity to list their interests, and we’ll do our best to match them to a need or an organization.”

She encourages anyone over 55 to apply, whether retired or not.

“We provide mileage reimbursement for your travel, plus supplemental liability insurance,” she said. “And we offer a fabulous luncheon for all our volunteers every year.”

To find out more, call Roosa at 845/807-0255 or visit www.sullivanny.gov/Departments/Aging/RSVPRetiredSeniorVolunteerProgram.