How one retiree has stayed active through community service

In retirement, Nancy Snyder has stayed busy.  

She has volunteered with Indiana Sports Corp for large sporting events and with her local church and food pantry. She’s active with the local Purdue Alumni Club.  

She and a group of other retirees from Eli Lilly and Company pulled weeds and cleared trash from the Indianapolis Cultural Trail as part of United Way of Central Indiana’s Go All IN Day.

When other retirees tell Snyder they’re unsure how to keep occupied in retirement, she gives them ideas. 

Opportunities are out there, said Snyder, who retired from Lilly 2021. You just have to know where to look.  

Snyder encourages retirees to learn the needs of their communities, seek out local food pantries or look for ideas through schools and colleges.  

“There are a lot of opportunities for people to get involved in a lot of different ways whether it be tutoring or gardening, (or addressing) poverty or homelessness,” said Snyder, who worked for Lilly for 36 years, first as a medicinal chemist and later in patents. 

United Way spoke with Snyder about her involvement with United Way and giving back to the community. 

(This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)     

How did you first get involved with United Way?  

Through Lilly. When Lilly started the Day of Service, I enjoyed that. We had choices of different charities where we could volunteer. There were times throughout the year they offered some other volunteer opportunities. I enjoy working with other people.  

It was easy to give. I think it’s a good system – [United Way] looks at the different charities. 

What were some of your Day of Service experiences like?  

I like to be outside, so I’d usually pick an activity outside: weeding, mulching, yard work, planting flowers and trees. When I volunteer, I want to be active. 

Lilly got involved with a specific charity for several years – we worked at a couple different Villages sites.  

Are there areas of philanthropy within United Way that are particularly important to you?  

Lilly also promoted ReadUP, and I did that for three, four years as a volunteer. I do like education. When I was working, I did ReadUP at some of the Indianapolis schools, and then when I retired, I did it in Danville for a year.  

Outside of United Way, how have you gotten involved in the community as a volunteer and philanthropist?  

After I retired, I started volunteering one day a week at Newfields in the gardens, pulling weeds, planting. I really enjoy it.  

Why is giving back to the community important to you?  

I’ve been blessed. I enjoy getting out with the public. I enjoy helping others and giving to others what I’ve been given.  

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