by Deb Skeath

Sylvia has been bringing hope and support to people who are lonely, sad and sometimes suicidal for 26 years. She is a founding volunteer member of the United Way of Tri-County TeleCheck team, which is part of the Call2Talk mental health, emotional support and suicide prevention program. Founded in 2008, TeleCheck is a peer-to-peer outgoing call service for adults age 60 and above. Through this program, Sylvia makes outgoing calls to seniors in the MetroWest community who may need additional support because of a major life transition, such as bereavement, a medical diagnosis or a change in mobility. Sylvia calls participants twice a week, providing warmth, support and companionship during a difficult time in their life. Most of the folks she calls are younger than she is. Sadly, many have passed away over the years, which is understandably difficult for the TeleCheck volunteers who have built supportive relationships and forged a bond with them. The seniors who Sylvia calls love speaking with her and look forward to their conversations. 

For many years Sylvia was also a Call2Talk helpline volunteer, where she answered incoming calls from people who are emotionally despondent, feeling isolated or lonely and struggling with suicidal ideation. She talked with callers to help them feel less alone and to find hope, and helped them move from a place of crisis to a calmer state. As one of the organization’s original volunteers — she staffed the very first shift in 2013 — she has been recognized by the International Council of Helplines for serving more than 1,000 hours of helpline hours. 

In addition to providing support for the people served by TeleCheck, Sylvia also serves her fellow TeleCheck and Call2Talk volunteers. Over the years, she has helped dozens of other call takers as a shift supervisor by talking with them after they have had a difficult conversation with a caller and being available for any other support they might need. She also contacted rescue services on many occasions when a caller was experiencing an emergency. Sylvia has also served as a wonderful mentor to new volunteers by listening, providing feedback and coaching them. She has interviewed new potential call takers and screened them for their readiness to provide service. As a kind-hearted, generous person, she frequently brings snacks and little gifts to the call center and treats everyone to a monthly pizza lunch to show her appreciation for her co-volunteers.  

And as if this weren’t enough, Sylvia contributes to and attends almost every single fundraiser Call2Talk has ever held. At 90 years young, she still walks nearly every Call2Talk 5K. This amazing lady is truly representative of what it means to be a dedicated volunteer. Sylvia is a beloved volunteer, shift partner and friend who many of her co-volunteers refer to as our program’s mascot. We are so lucky to have her.