We all have acquaintances. People we met once at a work event or spent an afternoon with while volunteering. Those people we see out at a restaurant and wonder if they remember us. We ask ourselves, “should we say hi?”
An acquaintance of mine, Robert Argue, 63, of St. Joseph died recently and it affected me more than I expected. I found myself repeating, “I’m so glad I was able to talk with him one last time.”
As I processed my grief, I knew I wanted to write this Generations Column about Robert, who I first introduced you to in September 2020.
As the pandemic reporter for The Herald-Palladium at the time, it was my job to keep tabs on local efforts. When I needed a subject for a Q&A profile, I thought of the gentleman who was commenting on nearly every post in a local Facebook group called “SWMI Mutual Aid.”
“I thought, I have a lot of connections within the nonprofit community here in Berrien County, and I’m also unemployed, so this was a way to be useful and help others,” Robert told me at the time.
He guessed he had helped upwards of 700 people navigate unemployment benefits and other state and federal aid programs in those six months – all virtually from his home in Bridgman. It was clear he had a heart for helping others.
I had seen Robert’s name pop up here and there around the community in the four years since our interview, but I never had a chance to reconnect with him – as happens with many folks I’ve interviewed.
When I learned he was part of Region IV Area Agency on Aging’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) I told the coordinator, “We should use Robert as a client impact story if we ever need one.”
In October, the opportunity came up and I gave Robert a call to set up a time to come visit him at his job placement.
“Not only are you gaining job skills, but you’re also helping people,” he told me this time. “I strongly feel that people are put on Earth to help others.”
There was the same Robert with this infectious enthusiasm for service.
For over 20 years, Robert had been helping people access resources in the community and when he needed a little help himself last year, he turned to Region IV Area Agency on Aging. The senior employment program provides high quality job training and employment assistance for job seekers aged 55 and older who are income eligible.
Robert was placed at Harbor Country Mission (HCM) in Bridgman to not only get on-the-job training but to use his expertise to help others.
“We get people that need practically everything for a new apartment. It really feels fulfilling to let them know we can sign them up as a client and for the first month, they can get everything they need for free. Which is a big help to a lot of people,” he said. “Many are homeless or going through a financial crisis. With my contacts, I can usually tell them where they can go to get other help.”
Robert was previously enrolled in SCSEP through the AARP Foundation about six years ago. Most SCSEP participants are placed at partner community-based organizations. Robert’s first temporary SCSEP assignment was at the Berrien County Veteran’s Service Office where he became an accredited veteran’s service officer to help veterans apply for VA benefits.
He was also stationed in the lobby of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services office helping people fill out applications for things like food assistance and state emergency relief. Robert’s resume included being a U.S. Air Force Veteran and a customer service representative at Whirlpool.
He also served as an AmeriCorps VISTA worker with the income tax assistance coalition and served on the board of directors for Disability Network Southwest Michigan.
Something Robert did not share with me, but I later learned, was that Area Agency on Aging also helped him get a place of his own. He was able to move out from living with family and was starting to feel like he was back on his feet.
The goal of the SCSEP is to be a steppingstone to unsubsidized employment and Robert was eager to serve as a full-time social service coordinator soon.
Maybe that’s what was so hard about his death – I had just listened to him be so hopeful about his future.
So, if you’ve needed any encouragement recently – to reach out to that acquaintance you haven’t spoken to in four years, or to reach out for help in a local Facebook group, or anything else – this is it.
When I got Robert’s permission to share his story, I asked him if it was OK if I shared it with our board of directors and in other places, like this column.
“Absolutely! If it can help someone, that’s all I care about,” he said.
As I think about what community service means to me, I’m always going to have Robert’s voice in the back of my mind, “I strongly feel that people are put on Earth to help others.”
For more information about Region IV Area Agency on Aging’s senior employment program, volunteer programs or any other services and information, call the Info-Line at 800-654-2810 or visit www.AreaAgencyonAging.org.