KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – After devoting tens of thousands of hours of service, the California Highway Patrol’s local senior volunteer force continues to be a critical source of support and assistance for the agency’s busy officers and staff.
On Wednesday, the CHP’s Clear Lake Area office in Kelseyville office held its 15th annual senior volunteer appreciation luncheon to underscore the value of the volunteers’ contributions.
Lt. Hector Paredes, the Clear Lake Area commander, presented a plaque honoring the group to Ed McDonald, who has been a member of the program since its inception and is president of the volunteers.
In awarding the recognition, Paredes noted the 25,000 hours of work the group has given to the CHP over the past 15 years of service.
In addition to McDonald, the volunteer crew includes Jessean Boone, John Wiskirchen, Al Reynolds, Claude Meade, Dennis Van Meter, and two retired CHP officers who worked here in Lake County, Larry Caravario and Mike Humble.
The senior volunteer program at the Clear Lake Area office in Kelseyville began its recruitment in November 2001, under then-Commander Dane Hayward, with a notice in the newspaper, seeking community members interested in participating.
Key qualifications include having no felony convictions, being available to volunteer during office hours, the willingness to perform various duties, the ability to work with minimal supervision in an office-type setting and working with officers in the field.
The senior volunteers had their first academy and graduation over five days in February 2002, with instructor officers Mary Bosserman, who has since retired as a CHP officer, and Officer Erich Paarsch, who now is a sergeant with the agency.
The academy covered topics including duties, grooming and equipment, conduct, regulations, ethics and incompatible activities, field duties, first aid and CPR, and a driving course, according to a copy of the original academy outline McDonald provided to Lake County News.
The week after that first academy, the volunteers held their first meeting, with members at that time selecting the name the “Flying Wheel Club” for the group, which also is known as Konocti 151 Senior Volunteers.
The original group of volunteers included, in addition to McDonald, Bob O’Neil, Chris Jewell, Dave Boone, Don Stewart, Betty Votaw, and well-known Pearl Harbor survivor Walt Urmann, based on meeting notes McDonald also provided.
Officer Kory Reynolds said the volunteers are put through background checks similar to those required for state employees, although they’re not as extensive as what would be required of a CHP officer.
He said the volunteers offer a valuable service, taking on all manner of duties that allow the sworn officers to stay on the road.
Reynolds, whose father is among the volunteers, said they help with a variety of tasks, including offering support to personnel on major incidents, transporting vehicles for maintenance to out-of-county locations, taking evidence to the Department of Justice, making trips to CHP headquarters and other locations on important errands, assisting with local parades, putting out the radar trailer, monitoring traffic complaints and clerical duties.
McDonald worked for 38 years managing parking facilities in San Francisco. During that time, he would come up to Lake County and work on ski boat races.
When he retired in 1991, he returned to Lake County and made it his permanent home.
When the volunteer opportunity came up with the CHP 10 years later, he jumped at it, and has been doing it ever since.
McDonald estimates that he averages between 40 and 60 hours a month, with the other volunteers averaging around 30 hours a month.
“It keeps me busy,” and not sitting around the house, said McDonald, who will turn 83 this year and is known for his volunteering with other community causes as well.
In addition to the duties Reynolds outlined, McDonald has an extra role at the agency – portraying “Chipper” the CHP mascot.
Chipper attends school and community events and is popular with the children. “They like Chipper,” McDonald said.
Besides making good use of his time, McDonald said the volunteering is a way of giving back to the community.
And, he added, “I’m learning something every day.”
Community members interested in joining the volunteer corps at the Clear Lake CHP can call the Kelseyville office at 707-279-0103.
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