Volunteer finds friends
Staff writer
Most everyone in Marion knows Robin Nelson’s familiar and friendly face.
Her enjoyment of people leads her to volunteer at Marion Senior Center up to five times a week.
“I have friends here,” she said. She helps serve lunch and clears the table when diners are finished.
Robin said she makes friends everywhere she goes. She loves to walk her poodle/Pomeranian mix, and when she does, she often stops at the dry cleaning shop to talk to her friend, Donna. She likes going to the pharmacy to visit people there as well. She enjoys visiting with her neighbors and attending a Baptist church close enough to walk to.
“Josh is my preacher,” she said. “He picks me up a lot in the winter time.”
On some Saturdays, her sister picks her up and takes her to Catholic Mass in Florence.
Nelson is a lifetime Marion resident who still lives in the house where she grew up. Not only do her dog and cats live with her, her yard has a pen filled with animal lawn ornaments and a cute pig piñata swinging from the porch.
She’s a frequent shopper at St. Luke Auxiliary thrift store and garage sales.
As much as she loves connecting to others in Marion, she also enjoys going new places, seeing new things, and meeting new people. Her brother, Jerry Nelson, takes her to Wichita for shopping, concerts, and sometimes out of state for vacations.
Jerry and Robin have traveled to Branson, Missouri, and to Colorado.
A week ago she returned from an annual vacation in Wichita at Holy Family Camp, a five-day camp for people with developmental disabilities, where campers experience prayer, worship, music, lessons, swimming, crafts, games, special events, and of course, friendship.
“I hiked a lot,” she said. “You have to drink a lot of liquid.”
She took part in a dance and talent show at camp.
Concerts are a favorite pastime as well. They’ve seen Peter Frampton, Chicago, and many other performers. In September, she and Jerry will see the band Kansas in concert.