Rosie Caldwell retired two years ago from the Employment Security Commission. She now volunteers 48+ hours a week (“totally a labor of love”) at the Rogers Eubanks Neighborhood Association (RENA) after school program. Tutors from the UNC Campus Y help provide 27 children with opportunities for academic enhancement. Experiential activities include making solar toys, eating a meal at Mama Dip’s restaurant, and learning animal care. Says Caldwell, “I get my pay from God. I do it because there is a need for it.” Caldwell’s open hands move constantly as she talks. “If my fist is closed up all the time, nothing goes in it and nothing goes out. If I keep my hand open, I can give and I can receive. If I am receiving something, I now have something else to give.”
