Stories of Service

Finding Purpose

Kevin Bleau

Senior Companions - Iosco County

Meet Senior Companion Kevin Bleau. Having been forced into an early retirement from his construction job due chronic knee and back pain, he found himself depressed and anxious with the lack of purpose and social connections employment provides. With a referral from his health care provider, Kevin became a Senior Companion the spring of 2018. It wasn’t long after he started visiting with the residents of Medilodge of Tawas City did he start to notice his depression and anxiety began fading away. As Kevin will tell you, he never considered being a volunteer. He had no idea he could make a difference for someone else or that they, in turn, would have such a positive impact on him. Unable to work, he considers his 20+ hours a week volunteering at Medilodge “a no brainer and not just something I want to do but must do… it makes perfect sense to improve upon oneself by serving others”. Kevin has found many friends in the staff and residents at Medilodge of Tawas City and hopes to continue visiting with the friends he’s made for a long time to come.