A
cacophony of yelps and howls echoes through the halls of the Tuolumne
County Humane Society when Bob Schafft enters the dog kennels.
"Hi
guys!" he hollers over the din. The 61-year-old kennel manager works
tirelessly to care for the canines, and they show their appreciation in
high volume.
Schafft
is a senior employee — one of the often overlooked group of workers over
age 55 being celebrated this week during "National Employ the Older
Worker Week," Sept. 23 to 28.
The
American Legion instituted the week in 1958 to recognize the skills and
abilities of older Americans and encourage employers to hire them.
Right
now, 22 such senior workers, including Schafft, are employed by the
federal "Experience Works" program at various non-profit host
agencies throughout Calaveras and Tuolumne counties.
Formerly
known as "Green Thumb," the program began in 1965 as part of
President Lyndon Johnson's War on Poverty to help retired farm workers use
their "green thumbs" for income.
In
January, the name changed to "Experience Works" after
participants were repeatedly asked whether they worked for a plant nursery
or the forest service, said Jeri Fugate, the program's field operations
assistant for Calaveras and Tuolumne counties.
Robin
Nixon, 64, thinks the new name better describes the program's objective
— to build skills and use experience to gain employment.
"I
have a good mind and I don't want to rot," said Nixon who does
secretarial and computer work at the Tuolumne County Job Connection
office. "I didn't want to die on the vine. I don't mind ripening, but
don't hang me upside down in the garage."
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