Rich Belmontez

“My surprise on receiving this year’s VOTY award on March 22nd was visceral and the acknowledgement is appreciated.

It has been an amazing ride being part of the Retirement Association and especially as a member of the Board- I get to surround myself with dedicated and high-energy folks who do wonderful things and have fun along the way. We live in all parts of the County and we worked in various departments so our collective knowledge and interests are vast. I don’t kn ow if the interactions keep us young or just distracted with sufficient joy that we hardly notice the marching of time.

Volunteerism runs in my family at least with my hyper-active schoolteacher kid sister and me. First memories of helping others for little or no practically no money tracks back to childhood. My mother would allow us to accompany her on visit nursing homes and while there I would do little kid things to assist. The opportunity provided lessons in humility, life circumstance appreciation, mortality and the hope that my aged relatives would never be institutionalized. From late elementary school through much of high school my family lived in the countryside near Youngstown, Ohio. I helped on the nearby farm sometimes for a dollar a day. When they had teenage foster children there was someone else to do chores; I would still help and at the same time make a friend. Plus pitching in meant we could leave earlier to go hiking, looking for arrowheads or fishing. Having friends that were in the foster care system also gave me time to reflect about my own life turbulence that, if it weren’t for extended relatives helping to keep the family together, might have ended in similar situations. The farmhouse matron made the best fresh liver and onions and could always feed one more mouth.

The US Navy had a very integrated program that encouraged volunteering that resulted in direct benefits in the form of liberty cards, positive leadership attention, flexible work schedule and credit towards promotion. My command in Great Lakes, IL sponsored Operation Dixie Cup which provided positive attention to kids at childrens hospital. Being a mystery shopper here in San Diego allowed feedback on operations of the base exchange, and as ceremonial guard I was additionally schooled on immaculate dress and good posture. UCSD and especially the Medical Center was an extremely smooth transition for me because of the relatively tight confines, mission-driven environment and work-supplementing opportunities. Everyone was my customer so being on committees provided another way to build relationships with key decision makers, allowed me to better understand institutional needs and it enhanced my knowledge of available resources.

My post-work life includes San Diego community involvement and much of it involves atrisk children. Part of my exercise regime is hiking with Sierra Club/Inspiring Connections Outdoors that partners with area charter schools and provides safe yet ‘wild’ exposure to the nature that surrounds our urban hubs. Administrative and protocol skills continue to be honed through my role as a court appointed special advocate (CASA) for children in the foster care system. Retiring, signing up as a lifetime UCSD Retirement Association member AND letting Suzan know I liked meetings naturally led to a cornucopia of opportunities. I thoroughly enjoy continuing to learn, helping out and making friends.”