Pam Rainey

It’s official. Frenchy’s van announced it. Priscilla Sanders has retired.

I was lucky enough to be invited to one of Priscilla’s retirement parties. But, I still can’t quite believe that my friend of 20-plus years isn’t getting up every morning, donning high heels and heading off to work. Priscilla has an agenda filled from sun up until sun down. Retirement doesn’t seem to fit into her program.

Many of you know Priscilla on a community level, where she’s volunteered for most local worthwhile organizations and raised tons of money for our community. Some of you have been lucky enough to work with her.

Or, you may consider yourself unlucky if you have a lazy bone in your body. Priscilla sets the same high standards for others that she sets for herself. I know. Priscilla has encouraged me to be better than I thought I could be on more than one occasion.

Priscilla and I met in the early 1980s while we were attending the same Bible study. After class, we had lunch and immediately became friends. For years, I was placed on Priscilla’s day-off agenda. Yes, even on her days off, Priscilla had an agenda. We met at Roland and Lois Small’s Homestead Restaurant on Locust Street.

I looked forward to dining at the local cafe each week, eating delicious omelets, and where Priscilla brought along news clippings she thought I would find of interest, or books she thought were “must reads.” My children were growing up during those years, and she was interested in learning about their lives. I enjoyed learning about her roots in South Carolina.

It didn’t take long for me to learn that Priscilla was a hard-working employee. I learned she was a loving single mom to Scott, her only son. She had broken the glass ceiling with the Boy Scouts when she became a Scout leader when women “just didn’t do that.”

I also learned that Priscilla’s family means the world to her and she made time for them even though they are scattered around the county. Her busy schedule never kept her from traveling to interesting destinations, such as Africa and Paris.

It’s been hard for me to process, but I get it now. Priscilla retired from her job. But, she’s not retired from life.

What is next for her remains a mystery.

But, this I do know. I’m blessed that she’s my friend and overjoyed she’s decided to stay in our community to “retire,” because I cannot think of a better friend for our community than Priscilla Sanders.

By the way, I have a hunch she’ll be donning those high heels again before long.

Maybe if you’re lucky — very, very lucky — you can recruit her for your community cause.

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Many senior adults are homebound. They depend upon their television for news, weather and entertainment. Many are living of fixed incomes and simply do not have the means to purchase new equipment.

You’ve probably seen commercials on television recently advertising the changes in the tube as we know it.

By law, full-power television stations nationwide must stop using the old method of transmitting TV signals known as analog and begin broadcasting exclusively in a digital format on Feb. 17.

Digital television is an innovative type of broadcasting technology that will give crystal-clear pictures and sound, and more programming choices than ever before.

Don’t fret. The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Denton County is sponsoring a digital television informational seminar 10 a.m. Tuesday at First Baptist Church of Denton, 1100 Malone St., Room 109.

To learn more about the seminar or volunteer opportunities, call Diana Corona at Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Denton County at 940-383-1508 or e-mail dmcorona@rsvpdentoncounty.org.

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Cumberland Children’s Home needs volunteers to greet and direct clients in their front lobby. Volunteers are needed on a daily basis. Training will be provided.

And Fred Moore Day Care needs volunteers to help with business planning, organization of filing systems and oversight of construction of the new wing beginning this year.

PAM RAINEY is a Realtor with the Real T Team and Cami & Associates. Previously she was the development director for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Denton County and she currently serves on several local boards and as a community volunteer. You can reach her at rpmrny@cs.com regarding community news or call 940-367-1188.