Boss pays employees to give elderly a hand

For the last four years, Thomas Hutchison has volunteered histime placing the homeless in church shelters throughout the northwestsuburbs.

Now, Hutchison also donates his company's time to those in need.

Since the beginning of June, Hutchison has allowed all 40 of hisemployees to volunteer with the elderly during two work hours eachweek.

"It's not a requirement, but it gives my employees somethingworthwhile to do when the workload is slow," said Hutchison, 44, whoowns H-O-H Chemical in Palatine, a small firm that makes watertreatment chemicals for commercial air conditioning and heating.

"I feel that as our company continues to grow, we should developa presence in the community and keep our employees busy," saidHutchison, adding that summer is slow for his business.

So far, five employees signed up at the nearby Palatine SeniorCenter, which places volunteers with dependent elderly people.

Irene Ohlrich, H-O-H Chemical's office manager who helped toorganize the volunteering program, said workers spend their time withthe elderly in a variety of ways.

"Some simply take their ladies grocery shopping, or just runerrands," Ohlrich said. "But many of us spend time with them outsideof our work hours, like taking walks with them on a night after workor stopping by on the weekends."

Jennifer Rozanski, who works in the company's customer servicedepartment, said she normally spends two to four hours a week withHelen Boyd, 74, who lives in Schaumburg.

"We get dinner, grab a movie, go shopping . . . cut and styleher hair," said Rozanski, 23, who also is a licensed beautician."Helen's a sweet, loving person."

Rozanski said Hutchison's idea of paying people to volunteer isa good deal for older people, who are often lonely and yearn forcompanionship.

"It gives them something to look forward to, even if it's justtaking them to the doctor," Rozanski said.

Boyd has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, forcing her todepend on a portable oxygen tank to breathe. Without Rozanski'sregular visits, she wouldn't be able to keep doctor's appointments,shop for groceries or have her hair trimmed, she said.

"Jennifer goes out of her way to take care of me, and she's agreat help," Boyd said. "She even calls me up at night just to talk.

"I think it's wonderful that this company will pay for workersto volunteer. Others should follow their example because there's alot of lonely, needy people out there who would just like to havesomeone to talk to."