Gerald Feece, 73, of Niles, has been volunteering as a driver at the Greater Niles Senior Center since 2007. He also volunteers as a driver for Veterans Services, and served as the King of the Apple Festival in September. After leaving the workforce 10 years ago, Feece said volunteering gives him a renewed sense of purpose that drives him.

What do you do at the Greater Niles Senior Center?

I drive the seniors. I take them on doctor visits, to the dentist or wherever they need to go. I go from St. Joe to Mishawaka to Dowagiac. Basically, I drive them all over.

How did you get started at the senior center?

[After leaving the workforce], it gave me something to do. Not that I didn’t have enough to do already, but I liked that it kept me busy.

Why is driving something you volunteer to do?

It is something I can do without wearing myself out. You know, physical work can get hard to do as you get older. Also, drivers are really needed. A lot of organizations just don’t have enough drivers, but they are important to get people the services they need.

Why do you think it’s important to volunteer in the community?

For people to volunteer is a good thing in order to help others. There are a lot of people out there who don’t have cars or they don’t drive, but they need to get to the hospital or the doctors or wherever to get taken care of. That’s why people like me need to come in and help them out. When you get older and can’t get around, you need a volunteer for that.

What do you find personally rewarding about volunteering?

I just enjoying doing it, and knowing that I’m helping others. In certain situations, I’ve even given my personal number out to people and let them know that they can count on me for a ride. I know I can’t do that with everyone, but I just like helping where I can.