photo by Brie Cohen

Bruce Owens explains the Tax-Aide program during this year’s tax season.

Bruce Owens: his patience and persistence are ‘remarkable’

Staff

Published Saturday, July 26, 2008

When Albert Lean Bruce Owens retired from his position as a math and computer teacher after 30 years, he decided to put his skills and experience together to help others in the community.

Six years ago, he started a Tax-Aide program for low-to-moderate income people, with an emphasis on those over 50 years old. The program is located at Senior Resources.

Besides the Tax-Aide program, he also volunteers at other places with an equal enthusiasm, including the Salvation Army at Christmas and Habitat for Humanity.

It is for those works and others that Owens will be recognized Wednesday at the Freeborn County Fair as Freeborn County’s Outstanding Senior Man.

“Bruce has a heart for helping others and that’s very apparent in all the volunteer work he does,” said the Rev. Clayton Balsley of First Baptist Church in a nomination letter for Owens. “There is no task he considers too menial. I have known very few people who are as willing to serve as Bruce.”

In his nomination form, Owens is listed as the vice president of the Senior Resources board of directors, a maintenance worker at Youth for Christ, a teacher of fishing to children through the Fountain Lake Sportsmans Club, and a volunteer with the Albert Lea Family Y for selling Christmas trees and maintaining their food stand at the Freeborn County Fair.

He is also a singer in the Careyaires group and received the President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award in 2005.

Beth Spande, who nominated him for the recognition, said Owens is “truly an outstanding senior volunteer. When he takes on a task, he does a thorough job of it.”

Through the Tax-Aide program, Owens organizes a dozen other volunteers, making sure they are trained and comfortable with their positions in the program. He also helps them learn as much as possible about the tax codes and the methods of filing for phone rebates, property tax refunds, rent credits and stimulus packages, as well as state and federal income taxes, Spande said.

Starting this past September, he would come to Senior Resources at least once a week. From December through April, he would come in almost daily.

“His patience and persistence when working for taxpayers and tax preparers is remarkable,” Spande said. “This is all volunteer activity! In the past 5 1/2 years, he has put in over 2,100 hours of volunteer activity, which he has reported to RSVP. Now that’s outstanding!”

She said Owens shows similar volunteering for his church when it needs something done. He is willing to sing in the choir, do custodial tasks, serve on boards or even organize work crews.

“His work for Senior Resources is similar — willing to serve on the executive board and make important decisions, but also willing to install shelves or take care of the recycling,” Spande said.

Balsley said since he has been pastor of the church, Owens has served as church moderator and as vice-moderator. Right now he is the church custodian who has the responsibility of overseeing the care of the church building and property.

“Anytime there is a construction project, a repair or maintenance need, it’s likely Bruce will be one of the main volunteers, if not simply taking care of the situation himself,” Balsley said.

Owens is willing to help without even being asked, he said, and if he notices something that needs to be done, he does it.

He has participated in several church-related activities beyond the immediate local setting, Balsley said. He has participated in a mission group, a major roofing project, providing assistance to a flood victim in Rushford, and volunteering in the community oil change put on by several churches in the area.

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