Molly Feider had no doubt her volunteers were doing good work at the McChord Field Medical Clinic's pharmacy.

But she wanted to see the operation for herself and thank them for their hard work in person.

Feider, a project manager for the United Way of Pierce County's RSVP program, helps connect volunteers over the age of 55 with local organizations that can use help. RSVP also provides volunteers a small travel reimbursement for their work. For the first time, Feider made a visit Tuesday to the clinic to meet with clinic volunteers Arlene Giandre, Lorraine Robertson and Norma Carolyn in their working environment.

"I wanted to say thank you face-to-face, and really learn more about the amazing work they do out here," Feider said. "I'm so impressed by the dedication of the volunteers out here."

The three ladies, all military dependents, have been volunteering at the clinic for more than five years. They do everything from filling medicine bottles and assisting customers picking up their prescriptions to stocking the shelves and keeping the place lively with conversation.

"It's great to be in an atmosphere with a lot of younger people," said Carolyn, a 76-year-old Puyallup resident. "I didn't want to do something that was dull and boring. You see a lot of different types of people working here."

"I don't feel old when I'm around young people," added the 84-year-old Robertson, the clinic's oldest volunteer. "It puts you in a better frame of mind."

It's also good for their health, according to Feider.

"There have been numerous studies done that show people are physically and emotionally healthier when they volunteer," she said.

Besides the health benefits, all three women feel a deeper connection to the military with their service.

"For me as a military dependent, I felt I had to do something to pay back the military for all it did for us," said Giandre, a 73-year-old Yelm resident. "I enjoy being around the people here and learning new things."

For Robertson, working at the clinic was a good way for her to feel comfortable about her son, an Air Force Reserve explosive ordinance disposal, when he was deployed.

"It gives me a good feeling and helps me not worry when I hear about all the Airmen that come through who have returned from a deployment," she said. "It makes me feel closer to my son."

While the work benefits the volunteers, it perhaps benefits the government even more. All the work volunteers do saves the clinic the cost of hiring two full-time positions.

"(The volunteers) bring a lot of great skills to the table," Feider said. "They still want to learn something new in a completely different environment. They are an example of the tremendous wealth of resources we have in our community."

And none of the three ladies see their volunteering tenure ending anytime soon.

"They're going to have to make room for me in the pharmacy when I'm in a wheelchair," Robertson said with a laugh.