Diragos work together helping others
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Gazette volunteer of the month
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By SUSAN ARESON Gazette Lifestyles editor Vincent and Rose Dirago retired from their jobs 12 years ago to spend time together - helping others. The Diragos, of Bradford, each worked for 27 1/2 years at Western Electric. Now they work as a team, volunteering their time and talents to the Merrimack Valley Works, Chapter No. 78 of the Telephone Pioneers of America, the Mason's theater group and the Hale Hospital. For their efforts, the Diragos have been selected the Gazette's volunteer of the month for December. While many couple pursue separate interests, the Diragos try to find things they can enjoy together. Vincent and Rose each bring different talents to their various causes, and each complement the other's work. In their work for the theater group, they make costumes together, with Vincent cutting out the fabric and Rose sewing. Rose had her own business as a seamstress before she began work as a layout operator at Western. She also taught her husband to sew simple things, such as straight seams, she said and he has a miniature sewing machine of his own for the work. While Rose helps actresses change costumes quickly between scenes, Vincent helps the stage crew change the scenery for the performances. The couple is gearing up to work on "The Sound of Music," which the Mason's group will present in mid-March. Two of their 12 grandchildren will be in the production. "Sound of Music" director, Robert Jeans, describes the Diragos as "very willing workers." "They are a great help in the costume department. She's very adept and he helps her."said Jeans. "They're a pair of people that's inseparable. They do everything together. The Diragos first got started in theater work with Mrs. Jeans when she was in charge of The Living Presence Theater, which disbanded two years ago. The got involved because their grandchildren were active with the theater group. Every Tuesday the Diragos and about 35 other volunteers meet to make audio balls for the blind. The group inserts electronic components into a softball which has a plug in it. When the plug is pulled out the ball makes a beeping noise. The blind use the devices for "beep ball"games. The audio balls which are used throughout the country, all are made in the Merrimack Valley. This is the major project of the Pioneers, a non-profit charitable organization. The volunteers make 20 to 30 audio balls a week. The Diragos who have made audio balls for 10 years, have never seen a live "beep ball"game, but they have seen movies of them, which reinforces their enthusiasm for the work. "I really feel like we're helping someone with the audio balls,"said Rose Dirago. "They help so many people, young and old." While the Diragos worked at Western, they volunteered their time with the Pioneers running beano games once a month at the Glynn Memorial Nursing Home, and the Rockingham County Nursing Home, Brentwood, New Hampshire. The couple got involved volunteering at the Hale Hospital after their granddaughter and great- granddaughter were working as volunteers at the hospital. "They wanted something to do and I put them to work," said Esther Roberts, volunteer director at the Hale. "They work as a team." Both pushed the magazine and candy cart around until "someone started piling too many magazines on it."said Rose Dirago. Both have back problems so they began working in other areas of the hospital. Rose volunteered in the gift shop. The Diragos were among the first to man the phones for the TelMed program. The phone service is for anyone who has questions about medical matters, The volunteers answer the phones, ask what the listener wants to lean about and plays a cassette tape containing the medical information. Rose says the work is boring because so few people take advantage of the program. Now the Diragos sort the hospital mail every Monday and deliver it to the different departments. The Diragos are modest about their volunteer efforts. "Instead of just sitting around doing nothing, we like to keep busy,"said Vincent. "I know if any one of my children or grandchildren had a problem, I would be happy to know that someone else is willing to help them,"adds his wife. Rose defines a good volunteer as someone who is willing to put in the time and do what is asked - with a smile. "A good volunteer is not grumpy,"she said, and not necessarily someone who wants to run the show. "I'm a helper, not a leader,"she said. "I'm not the one who gets out there and starts things." The Diragos, who recently celebrated their 50th anniversary, intend to keep up their volunteer work. "All we want to do is keep busy, together,"said Rose.
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Page 8. The Haverhill, Mass., Gazette, Friday, December 23, 1983.