BOCA RATON, Fla. — A Boca Raton man on a mission to make a difference is spending 20 hours a week volunteering with adults with disabilities.
It's chat time at JARC— an organization which provides programs and services for people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Shelly Pittleman volunteers his time.
"We will talk about anything that they want to talk about. If it's girls, if they have a new girlfriend, how to treat other people," said Pittleman. "Because they always treat people with dignity and respect, because that's how they want to be treated."
Pittleman says he was an economist and investment planner before retiring.
Fifteen years ago he started volunteering.
"I have a lot of friends that really sit at home, they are retired, and they will watch TV, maybe play golf a couple of times a week," he said. "That wouldn't be my style, it wouldn't be for me."
Pittleman also volunteers for other organizations.
"I like being in the community, particularly serving people that have a right to be served and have a good time," he said.
The 76-year-old devotes so much of his time, he was awarded the JARC Volunteer of the Year Award.
Nancy Freidwald is the Director of Program Services for JARC in Boca Raton.
"He walks in the building and everybody knows who he is. They are very excited to see him and he sits in our boardrooms with his groups and literally just rap about whatever topics come up," said Freidwald. "Anything that you can do to help people that need help is a great thing, not just for them, but for you too."
