View area storm coverage and share your photos.

Barbara Quirk: Retirees get help for 'Next Chapter' in life

The Capital Times  —  2/05/2008 6:58 am

"The Next Chapter" is such a great idea. It has all of the components of success and is available to anyone who has access to a library card for the South Central Library System.

"The Next Chapter" is a collection of books, DVDs, magazines and other information related to retirement. An electronic newsletter to keep you updated on retirement-related events complements all of that.

It's the brainchild of a Madison resident, Bob Ainsworth, who serves as president of the Friends of Alicia Ashman Branch Library (where "The Next Chapter" collection is housed) and is a Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteer, serving on its marketing committee. With a foot in each court, Ainsworth saw a need and wrote a proposal to RSVP, and the rest is history. The collection was formally introduced at a ceremony the last Saturday in January at the library.

RSVP liked the idea of partnering with the library system, and so did Bob and Carroll Heideman of Madison. The Heidemans are known for their generosity to community causes. Their personal philosophy is to "stay ahead of the curve." With baby boomers reaching retirement age, the Heidemans' investment is clearly timely.

Bob and Carroll were given a Lifetime Achievement Award last year by the Association of Fundraising Professionals in recognition of their many contributions. Their generous gift and continuous support provided for the purchase of the materials and will fund expansion of this unique program.

"The Next Chapter" collection, located at the Alicia Ashman at 733 N. High Point Road, is a one-stop shop where retirees or people approaching retirement can find the information they need to take that next step. Included in the collection are:

• "AARP Crash Course in Creating Retirement: The Essential Course to Making Your Money Last Longer Than You Do," by Julie Jason.
• "Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life," by Marc Freedman.
• "My Next Phase: The Personality-Based Guide to Your Best Retirement," by Eric Sundstrom.
• "Where Should I Live When I Retire? A Guide to Continuing-Care Communities," by Bernice Kohn Hunt.
• "Work Less, Live More: The Way to Semi-Retirement," by Bob Clyatt.

That's just a sampling of the types of material that someone considering retirement may find of interest.

The reception to introduce "The Next Chapter" was hosted by the Friends of the Alicia Ashman Branch Library and included an excellent speaker, Jan Fulwiler, on the topic of "2 young 2 retire."

Fulwiler, who does retirement and second-career counseling, took the audience through the whole process of balancing individual portfolios of life choices and the planning process, asking thought-provoking questions. I was reminded of a quote by Dr. Lawrence J. Peter, author of "The Peter Principle": "If you love to go fishing, don't move to the desert."

I particularly appreciated Fulwiler's concept of building on your "core" career to mold your "encore" or second career. This gift of extra years that we are given leaves more time for relationships. It's not about retirement -- it's about those bonus years and how to make the most of them.

My dad, who was a very bright man, told his children that for most people, they got married, raised a family, and when those adult children moved away, everything left was just gravy. Well, Dad was not exactly wrong, but he was a product of his time. He was born in 1902, and people of his age could not expect many gravy years.

Today, grand adventures await those who are willing to turn the corner. It's called "The Next Chapter."

For more information stop by the Alicia Ashman Branch Library or visit www.madisonpubliclibrary.org/services/nextchapter.html.

Barbara Quirk is a geriatric nurse practitioner.

The Capital Times  —  2/05/2008 6:58 am