Wauneta Booth handles the details and smooths the way "I want to help people," says Wauneta Booth. "I want to smooth the way for people entering new classes and activities." A 21-year super volunteer at Crestwood OASIS in St. Louis, Booth helps OASIS carry out every detail - time keeping, updating records, making phone calls, collecting money, and organizing calendars. She smiles and you know that she will follow through promptly, handling every assignment with precision.
In all, Booth has volunteered at several agencies for 20 years. She is sharp, extremely dependable, efficient and friendly, handling diverse tasks confidently and effortlessly. She makes all her jobs seem as simple as walking around the block.
Booth seems to volunteer in decades instead of days. She is a 20-year volunteer not only at OASIS but also at the Missouri Botanical Garden and Talking Tapes.
Booth was born in Nebo, Illinois and graduated from Gem City Business College. She worked for the North Side YMCA as the business and office manager for 28 years, then worked at Dazor Lighting for 15 years.
After retiring, Booth talked with a friend about volunteering and immediately found her new home at OASIS. The atmosphere of learning and being part of a community suited her philosophy. She started her volunteer work in the basement of the Famous-Barr Southtown store in 1986.
The highlight of Booth's volunteer career occurred in 1992 when she was specially honored for her volunteer work in the community at an OASIS Tea Dance at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Clayton. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran a wonderful article about Booth's history of volunteer accomplishments and the value of her long years of service. Over the years, Booth has collected her awards, congratulatory letters and well-wishes from friends into an impressive album.
Asked why she gives so much time to serving others, she replied: ''I truly enjoy meeting people and doing things for them. I think it is good for all of us to get out and meet the public and to find out what is going on in the world today. I'll keep volunteering as long as my feet carry me," she emphasized. "It gives me a sense of purpose."
By Louise Larsen, OASIS Volunteer