Volunteer Spotlight: Ellen Millar

I wear a couple hats at Goodman. I’m the attendance and data entry volunteer for the older adult program, which means every week I enter all the times seniors come to any activity at Goodman and keep the attendance sheets up to date. On top of that, I teach yoga classes to Goodman older adults.

I started assisting the older adult team with attendance entry when Gayle reached out to me to see if I’d be interested in helping and I gladly said, “yes!” I see how hard they work and how they provide such positive activities and opportunities for older adults in the area. This is just one way that I can support such a great program that is easy for me to do in the comfort of my home and on my own schedule.

I also teach yoga for older adults — one in-person class and two online classes per week. My classes are called “Easy Yoga Plus.” Years back, I started practicing yoga because I was having some physical issues. I experienced such amazing improvement that I decided I needed to share yoga with others, so I got certified to become an instructor.

As I started teaching yoga, I would see older adults come in with physical problems and things like hip and knee replacements, and I worried my classes wouldn’t work for them. This motivated me to start training with Duke University to really understand the older body and what happens to us as we age. I learned about what poses are recommended and which ones may be unsafe for this population. I have some folks in my classes who have been coming for eight years now because they truly benefit from the exercises, which is a great feeling! It’s nice to be able to help people.

Working with the older adult program’s attendance sheets, I got familiar with everyone’s names but didn’t know who they were. Recently, some of these names have shown up on my yoga class rosters. It’s exciting to be able to put a face to the names! When you see someone’s name repeatedly, you start wondering: who are they and what are they about? It’s great getting to meet them and getting to know them as individuals.

I currently live in Madison but was born and raised in New Jersey. I moved to Illinois for work, and then eventually came to Wisconsin when my daughter (1 of 3 children), who put her own roots down in Madison, convinced me to join her. Outside of working with Goodman, I love to read, which I do as often as I can. My reading often includes textbooks about yoga, but I also enjoy reading solely for enjoyment! Books can take you to another country or culture, which is especially great when you do not feel comfortable or do not have the means to travel. Mystery and romance novels are my favorite!

As you get older, sometimes you think your life is over or on a downward spiral, but I think we need to change that perception of old age! I didn’t take my first yoga class until the age of 74. I am now 84 and have been teaching for eight years, and it helps me keep a positive attitude in life. I am glad to be a part of something as important as volunteering at Goodman.