Volunteer Spotlight: Richard ‘Oz’ Osburn
Monday, April 18, 2022
Volunteers make our world go round, especially during the race season. Hundreds of amazing community members line spirit stations, complete registrations, buckle bike helmets, and guide racers to the finish line.
April is Volunteer Appreciation month and we would like to share a recent interview with super star volunteer, Richard ‘Oz’ Osburn.
How long have you been volunteering with Greater Midland Races?
“Over 20 years!”
Can you tell us a little bit about your connection to Greater Midland or programs you have been involved in?
“I have a been road crew volunteer on the barricades for Dow RunWalk, Tri-Kids-Try, River the Run, Loons Pennant Run and Jingle Bell Run.”
“Of course, growing up in Midland, I used the Community Center a great deal. I started with the Community Center when it was downtown sharing a building with the Library.”
Richard ‘Oz’ Osburn beams with pride in his volunteer Tri-Kids-Try shirt.
What inspired you to volunteer with Great Midland Races the First time?
“I was looking for a volunteer opportunity at the local level where I was just a ‘grunt’ with no management responsibilities and no long-term responsibilities. Outside of Church volunteer work, all my volunteer commitments at that time were outside of Midland as being a board member at the international, national, state, and regional levels and felt it was time to give back to Midland, but not be on a board. I was boarded out.”
What keeps you invested and volunteering with Greater Midland Races?
“I have a commitment to Life and being on the barricades keeps the road runners safe when they are in a most vulnerable situation. In addition, it is fun and I continue to learn more about traffic management at the micro level.”
Do you have a highlight or favorite moment from volunteering with the Race Crew?
“Out of many highlights and favorite moments, let me pick one favorite moment. Working as road crew for the bike ride part of the TKT challenge for kids and watching the youngest children coming by with serious looks on their faces pedaling their small bikes as fast as they can. A joy filled moment.” (Greater Midland Races agrees with that!)
“By being a volunteer, I seek to leave this world better than I found it. It is one of my core values. In addition, I have learned that an act of kindness or act of help can ripple out in positive ways that you may never know; but leaves the world a little better place.”
Why do you feel that volunteerism is important in your life and within your community?
“When I was much younger, and had hair, I was a boy scout and then grew up to be a troop committee man. I had drilled into me one of the teachings of the scouting movement, which is that you leave a campsite cleaner than you found it. By being a volunteer, I seek to leave this world better than I found it. It is one of my core values. In addition, I have learned that an act of kindness or act of help can ripple out in positive ways that you may never know; but leaves the world a little better place. (Note: My wife wishes that I would apply this to my home office desk and surrounding areas.)”
Bonus question: You have been on a journey of weight loss and better health. Would you talk a little bit about your journey; what motivates you, what words of encouragement would you offer to others?
“I started my weight loss journey about 2 and half years ago. I am a retirement failure and can’t stop being a clinical social worker, but what I realized back at the beginning is if I wished to keep going until I can’t, then I needed to take care of me so I can continue to be of service to others.”
“The core program is nothing magical, but simply sheer stubbornness. I have my own developed plan of action that is in constant adjustment and reviewed by two medical offices regularly. It is working, but the hardest is yet to come. Us humans have a tendency when we are close to achieving our goal the higher the chances of our rationalizing wandering off the plan.”
“One of the main behavioral changes is that I do not weigh myself at home at all but use a tactical feedback system of measurement. As I went down in size, I would buy pants of the next size down and have used that as a core measurement of change. One step or size at a time feedback loop and stubbornness are the pillars to the plan coupled with ongoing medical review. Unit of time measurement for change is years. I have gone from a size 60 pants to almost into a size 42. My informal goal is to a size 38 in a year.”
“In sum, weight loss can happen, but one must have an individualize plan of how to do it that is long range in scope and medically reviewed and above all BE STUBBORN.”
