Seniors on Staff

Sylvia recalls the day in April of 1999 when she interviewed with LAS to become a volunteer receptionist. “They almost didn’t allow me to work because I said I wanted to limit my volunteerism to six months.”

Her days as a receptionist soon ended when the opportunity to become the agency librarian opened up. She grabbed it and has been here ever since.

After the first week as librarian, some staff members had second thoughts about her presence. Not one to accept the status quo if it does not make sense to her, Sylvia felt the traffic pattern and book placements were completely wrong, so she rearranged all the books and the furniture. The staff had to admit that these changes were a vast improvement.

The thing about Sylvia is, when she takes on a job, she takes it on completely. She doggedly refuses to give in to those who think something is “good enough” if it’s not good enough for her. Cluttered desks, poor use of office space, junk drawers, old files, and messy files have no place at LAS if Sylvia has anything to say about it. And she does.

Sylvia was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts. In 1956, she and her mother boarded a Greyhound Bus for the three and one half day trip to Oakland. She has resided in the Bay Area ever since.

“It took five years in California before I stopped waiting for the seasons to change. Now the climate has spoiled me. I won’t even travel outside California except in May and September when climates in most locations are acceptable to me.”

In April of 2004, the managing attorney asked Sylvia to take over the billing duties for the conservatorship program, the agency’s only fee-for-service area. Follow up had never been so consistent. The number of pleadings petitioning the court for fees was so high it had court clerks complaining about the amount of work. It took Sylvia almost eighteen months to bring the conservatorship billings up to date.

Sylvia’s work status thus changed to “part time employee and part time volunteer.” In addition to conservatorship billing, she provides clerical help for the two staff attorneys specializing in conservatorship as well as for LAS’ three volunteer attorneys. She maintains archived case, administrative, and financial files. She “ensures retention schedules are adhered to,” meaning she “throws old stuff out.”

Sylvia maintains agency handouts; organizes offices; sends fax filings to the courts; delivers all incoming faxes; handles numerous special projects; clears jams in copy machines and printers; patiently explains how to use office equipment; and stands guard against unnecessary use of electricity and workplace hazards (Don’t even think about leaving an empty box in the hallway!).

What motivates Sylvia Gagne to work so hard, mostly on a volunteer basis?

“When people try to thank me for my work here, I try to explain to them that the benefits I get are at least equal to what I’m providing. The relationship is 50-50, win-win. LAS does so much for seniors in the community. It would have been such a help if I had known about this organization many years ago when I was trying to take care of my own mother’s affairs.”

Asked about plans for retirement, she insists, “They’ll have to roll me out of here to get rid of me!”

But we never will. Sylvia is truly irreplaceable.