Volunteer is 90 years young
There's a palpable difference between living and merely existing. Ethel Sertich embraces life, all 90 years of it. Well, 90 years as of Friday, June 21.
One of her secrets to a long and happy life is giving; the more we give to others, the more life force we receive. It's that intimate human connection that drives Sertich to volunteer with the nonprofit Hospice of North Idaho, for 30 years and counting.
The same passion for giving drove her career. She also spent 30 years working in area hospitals, after putting herself through nursing school by working retail. Combine that retail experience and a career of compassion, and she's a perfect fit for her volunteer job. She chose HONI after a personal experience allowed her to witness its service to the dying and their families.
A sum of 60 years working and volunteering in Idaho ... Don't let that give you the impression that this Post Falls resident never ventured out. She and her husband also lived in Japan, Hawaii, the Philippines, and China while she raised their seven children.
That's not enough to describe a woman. Picture her sewing as she sits behind the counter, mending clothes and affixing buttons to donated items. She regales others with stories of her well-filled life as she works. Too many to fit the confines of a newspaper column.
Sertich has seen a lot of changes in three decades of volunteering. When she first started, HONI helped only cancer patients. Now they serve those with any disease during their final weeks of life, at no charge. Sertich feels passionately about the cause.
The store has changed location several times; one sticks out the most for her - by the railroad tracks off Seltice Way near where Kentucky Fried Chicken now stands. It was off the beaten path and at times volunteers felt nervous working alone. A volunteer couple lived close by; if a worker became uneasy, they'd call and say, "you're late for work," or "how come you're not here?" That was a signal to come quickly to help with the situation. Sertich is a big fan of its current location, a busy vendor mall in Post Falls.
Stop by any Friday and wish Ethel Sertich a happy birthday. She'll be at her usual spot at the counter of HONI's thrift store "Thriftique" at 503 E. Seltice Way, just as she is every Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Sholeh Patrick is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at sholeh@cdapress.com.