Life After Retirement for Man Willing to Share Varied Skills

By Arlene Silverman

Richmond District resident Ray Wright has an illustrious resume.

As a young man, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers. He then went on to become a professor of geology for 14 years in places as diverse as Wisconsin and Costa Rica. He spent two years at a research center in Argentina. When he retired from ExxonMobil in Houston as a researcher and strategic planner after 18 years in 1999, he and his wife Cynthia, who also has a Ph.D. in geology, moved to San Francisco.

"Retired" is probably not the operative word here, however.

At 67, Wright has joined the ranks of those who take on new and satisfying work later in life. But he's not drawing a salary; rather, he has found a job he loves and where he volunteers his time 25 hours each week to prove it.

This arrangement started when Wright visited the Exploratorium, the city's world-famous museum of science, art and human perception. As a scientist, he was drawn by its reputation and its "learning through inquiry" approach.

Within a few months, he became a volunteer at the Exploratorium and eight years later he is still going strong.

"I knew that I wanted to spend my retirement life using my skills to help promote science education and literacy. The Exploratorium offered that opportunity in spades," Wright said.

His service is a partnership between the Exploratorium and Retired Senior Volunteer Program of San Francisco and Alameda counties (RSVP), a 33-year-old organization that matches adults 55 and over with non-profit groups which need their help.

Bringing his professional knowledge with him, Wright has done a variety of behind-the-scenes tasks at the Exploratorium. He has worked on everything from the interpretation of complex data to an analysis of how visitors used a key exhibit at the museum before and after a number of design changes had been made.

"Wherever he settles, he quickly generates corridor conversations that are a mix of awe and reverence," said Sue Allen, manager of visitor research at the Exploratorium. "'Have you seen this report?' someone will say. 'It's full of great info about our audience, and it's right up to date.' Ray is an excellent communicator, a delightful and good-humored colleague, and an incredible gift to this organization."

Wright is one of 370 volunteers who worked at the Exploratorium last year, according to Deirdre Araujo, manager of volunteer services at the Exploratorium. They helped with visitor services, special events, physics of toys, and special research projects in electrical and mechanical engineering, among many others.

Ray is not alone in his preference for volunteering over other pursuits. The so-called Baby Boomers' level of volunteering is higher than it has ever been, in part because members of the generation waited longer to have children and many find themselves volunteering in their children's classrooms at a later age.

Volunteering among older adults like Wright is almost 40 percent higher than it was in 1989. No matter what one's age, Wright, who started volunteering through ExxonMobil, gives this advice to those who are thinking about community service: "I would advise someone still working to begin planning years before retirement. Ask yourself what you like to do. What do you want to accomplish? What gives you pleasure and how can you maintain that pleasure and expand on it? Take your time in all this cogitation, and by the time you retire you will be well prepared for your next career."

Michael Collins, RSVP administrator, agrees with Wright and adds that prospective retirees are encouraged to ask themselves: Will I want to continue to do what I've done before or try something new? Will I prefer to work with people or alone? What time commitment am I willing to make (one-time events like fundraising walks or runs, or regular, weekly assignments)? And what do I want to get out of the experience?

Some People Like It Cool
Wright and his wife moved to San Francisco because it gives them "the greatest stimulation living in a large city." Also, it appears that the famous City breezes are part of the reason they moved here, since, he says, "both my wife and I prefer the cooler weather of San Francisco and the Richmond District after Houston!"

They got to know the Richmond District when they visited a cousin of Cynthia's, who had come to San Francisco in 1914 and settled on Lake Street.

"We like the area because of its proximity to the Geary Avenue area of small shops and it's reasonably close to the Exploratorium," Wright said. "I've gotten to know and appreciate the geography of the western Presidio, the Outer Richmond, Golden Gate Park and the Outer Sunset through long walks."

It's also near the Fromm Institute where he takes classes, the lifelong learning program for retired individuals housed on the USF campus.

A dedicated volunteer and data collector, Wright says: "About 8,500 Richmond residents visited the Exploratorium last year, and more than 1,100 students from 16 Richmond District schools took part in our Field Trip Program."

RSVP offers a variety of volunteer opportunities for adults over the age of 55. For more information, call (415) 731-3335, or visit the Web site at www.rsvpsf.org. To find out about volunteer opportunities at the Exploratorium, visit its Web site at www.exploratorium.edu.