Her Eyes Light Up....Lois Violanti

March 2025

Sinclair Browning

Lois Violanti’s passion for volunteering came early. Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio in the days of party line telephones, Lois began as a teenage candy striper.

After graduating from Kent State she received a fellowship to the University of Hawaii. She acquired her master’s degree while teaching as a civilian with the Department of Defense at a naval base in Japan.

Following that, Lois taught in a small Ohio town before turning to insurance where she worked with large group employers.

When she finally retired, she headed to SaddleBrooke for a “come and see us” visit and was sold. In May 2000 the intrepid Lois set off cross country accompanied only by her two cats.

After settling in, she turned once again to volunteering. This time it was at the Catalina Mountain School, a boys’ juvenile correctional facility, where she was involved in reading and therapy dog programs. “We started a dog agility project where the boys built the course,” she said. “They learned all sorts of skills using math, measurements and tools as they constructed jumps and ramps.” She volunteered at the school until it closed in 2011.

After hearing about Senior Village, Lois jumped in, starting with the Going My Way team. After discovering that volunteers were making birthday cards, she suggested expanding the program. That evolved into Fun with Friends as she was instrumental with starting a monthly game day, putters, bocce ball and twice a month birthday luncheons.

Today, she devotes her time to special projects for Senior Village. During COVID she worked with the phone-in database and data entry for all SaddleBrooke residents to receive their COVID shots at the Desert Life Pharmacy. She continues to use her Excel skills for data entry and is helping with the 2025 Beach Bash.

In addition to volunteering, Lois’s other passion is music. A self-taught organist, she has a Lowrey organ and does her own musical arrangements.

When asked what advice she has for new Senior Village volunteers, Lois offers this sage counsel, “Sign up for everything that appeals to you! If something doesn’t work, try something else. You will find your perfect fit!”