Congratulations to Tony Bogle our new volunteer of the month!

Why we love him: Volunteer Services Manager, Michele Gingras, calls Tony our ‘on-call sidewalker’. “You see him here every week; he can be put in any spot with any client and does a great job. When he’s not sidewalking, he’s cleaning manure from the arenas!”

Road to The Shea Center: “I have to give credit to (Equine Specialist) Heidi Knight. I got to know her when her boys attended elementary school where I was principal. That was about 20 years ago. She was always talking up The Shea Center. I started receiving mailers from Shea, and once I retired, I had the opportunity to check it out. Shea provides me the opportunity to be on-call, enabling me to volunteer weekly, and fit in other activities as well. Being an on-call volunteer allows me to support a wide range of clients and service providers. I work different times each week, so I get to meet different people.”

Years of Service: Tony began volunteering in March 2022.

Lessons learned: “Being in education, I was focused on the instructional and educational needs of individuals. At Shea, the variety of services provided has taught me the therapeutic aspect, particularly when I work with the therapists and their clients.”

Favorite Shea Center memories: “I enjoy supporting a variety of clients, both young and not-so-young. The challenges they have endured throughout their lives, yet staying so positive is awe-inspiring. My favorite memories are helping the veterans from Long Beach VA. I have a great time talking to them.”

When not volunteering at Shea, he can be found doing this: “I also volunteer in CUSD’s (Capistrano Unified School District) Adult Transition Program in the culinary arts kitchen. I am a sous chef a couple of mornings a week. Additionally, I cook quite a bit at home. I also enjoy the beach, surfing, being in the water, and also walking my dog on the beach trail.”

He finds his bliss…: “Tough question…I guess I just want to be helpful. If I’m not, I want to get out of the way.”