BILL AND NANCY DUBOIS: VOLUNTEERING AS A COUPLE IS A WIN-WIN FOR US, AND THE COMMUNITY

Nancy Dubois has been a Y member for over 40 years! “I joined the Y when it was on Prospect Street and both my girls were young. Angela was in ballet and Alison was on the synchronized swim team. I loved working out there, taking yoga classes with Jari and classes with Carol Coleman. We spent a lot of time at the Y,” she shared. Nancy is now busy with strength training and yoga classes, and works out on the elliptical equipment and with weights.

Nancy’s husband Bill started his Y membership 20 years ago at the Manchester Y and now spends time at the Y walking the track and elliptical training at the Nashua Y. “When the weather is nice, we walk in Mine Falls. When it’s not so nice, we walk at the Y,” he said.

“We are blessed with eight grandkids and six of them are local. Since the grandkids were young, they always wanted to swim at the Y. We have two grandkids who live in Nashua, Grace is 12 and has taken Tyler’s strength training class and Owen, age 10 can be seen shooting hoops as often as he can.  We have incorporated the Y into our grandkids’ lives,” Nancy said.

With over 60 years of combined Y membership, what does this couple do now? They volunteer together for the Y, of course! When the pandemic hit, Bill and Nancy learned about a volunteer opportunity helping with food distribution from their friend (and YMCA Chief Human Resources Director) June Zoia. “We’ve volunteered for two days a week since the pandemic began. The benefit to us is we give very little of our time, but we feel we get a great amount of community benefit, helping those less fortunate than us,” Nancy shared. On Tuesdays, they drive to the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter, pick up fresh produce to be distributed to various food distributions sites in the area. Bill also volunteers at the Nashua Soup Kitchen & Shelter and with the End 68 Hours of Hunger program. Nancy volunteers with the United Way. “We get way more than we give with our volunteer service, Nancy said.

Bill shared, “It’s pretty simple. Our food distribution project takes a total of 45 minutes. It doesn’t require a lot of time and energy, yet it’s a great way to give back to the community. With my involvement with the Nashua Soup Kitchen, it was a natural transition for me.” Nancy added, “When we deliver the food now, for example at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club, when we get there, there are two United Way volunteers who help us unpack the food. They distribute the produce. We haven’t gotten to know those that benefit personally, other than seeing their faces when they are waiting in line. It confirms to us the goodness of what we are doing. When we drive up and see the people waiting with their empty foods bags, we feel a sense of gratitude for what we have”

“We are definitely going to stay with this volunteer program. We are lucky enough to go to Florida for two months in the winter. She (YMCA Volunteer Coordinator Terri McGrew) finds a substitute for us while we are away. This is a long term commitment from us until they don’t need us anymore. The beauty of having two of us volunteering together is that we are a tag team. If one of our schedules doesn’t permit us to volunteer that week, the other continues. We’re a tag team,” Nancy said. “I’m glad June connected us with Terri. We’re retired and we have the time. It’s a win-win for everyone!”