Published: April 30, 2008 03:30 pm      

Apex reached as volunteers complete tax season

Time was when we tax-payers moaned about the Ides of March when our tax returns were due on or before March 15. Then, the Powers That Be changed the due date to April 15, and we had just as much trouble getting all our info together and submitting it a month later. It is, of course, just as much relief in having it done by mid-April as it was at the earlier date.

For 13 American Association of Retired Persons volunteers, four from the Byng area, April 15 is the true apex, the highest point in three to four months of community service. These volunteers prepare and file tax returns free of charge for anyone, regardless of age or income.

Seven of the group who will man the computers and do the actual tax return preparation start in January with a week’s training. They learn about new tax laws and pass a test at the end of five days proving that they understand all the complexities involved in all kinds of tax returns. These people put in hours of homework before they start the class.

Bette Cole, my walking buddy who has been involved in this AARP tax volunteer project for the past 14 years, has been the local coordinator for several years. Her husband, Vestel, began volunteering a couple of years ago, and they start in January taking telephone appointments and booking people at half-hour intervals for the next two and a half months.

Beginning the first Monday in February, the volunteer staff begins working two days a week—Monday and Thursday—at preparing and e-filing tax returns, working steadily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. At least four of the group arrive at 7:30 and end their day around 6 p.m. (There’s lots of putting away and straightening up to do.)

By the first Monday in March through April 15 the AARP group is able to cut their time to one day a week—Mondays, all day. This year, because of the Tax Stimulus program, they set a record with 869 tax returns completed and filed. Last year, they did 493 returns.

Though only seven of the 13 staffers work on the computers provided by the AARP, Bette Cole stresses that without the six people who took care of clerical aspects they could not have done nearly as many returns. She estimates that the support people handle between 8-10,000 pieces of paper during the tax season.

Volunteers for the ’08 tax season included Andy and Joann Hood and the Coles from Byng and the following: Bob Ardiana, Jim and Dorothy Barlow, M.E. Carr, Don Clark, Morris Gonsorilin, Wanda Privett, Steve Wilson and Maggie Davidson.

The AARP tax volunteers enjoyed a “Dutch Treat” luncheon at Polo’s Restaurant Tuesday, April 15. It was a time of reflection and of brainstorming on recruiting additional volunteers for next year. (Bette says if they could have a total of 18 volunteers next year, each person would work only a half-day shift one or two days a week.

I have decided that if the Lord is willing and the creeks don’t rise and if they can find a no-brainer spot for me, I will be among those volunteers next year. I, too, will be able to look forward to the Apex instead of the Avalanche of April in 2009.

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This has been a sad week for several in the Byng area. Our condolences go to Larry and Colou Myers who lost their daughter this week.

Stephanie Shank, 40, succumbed to cancer on April 10 at a hospital in Oklahoma City. Funeral services were at Centerpoint Cemetery in Wilburton.

Our sympathy also goes out to Brandy Stokes Couey. Her husband, Jackie Dale Couey, who was a truck driver for Awsome Transport, Allen, was killed in a head-on collision with another semi near Calvin last Monday morning. Brandy is the owner-manager of Tanfastic, a tanning and toning salon in Ada. She is the daughter of Mike Stokes, Byng alumnus, and the granddaughter of Bob and Norma Allen, Francis.

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Elba Jean Latham is currently in rehab at Valley View Hospital receiving therapy to help her bounce back from a broken arm as well as pneumonia. Ms. Latham thought she had been suffering from bronchitis for at least two weeks and had been unable to attend her regular Skip Bo sessions on Thursday nights at the Francis City Hall. During the past week, she suffered a fall at her home which resulted in a broken arm. When she entered Valley View Hospital, tests showed she had pneumonia.

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Charles Nester has long had a hobby of renovating old tractors. He has a shop building with an attached greenhouse for his second hobby, gardening. Last week, an accidental fire destroyed these buildings and caused a temporary halt to both hobbies. A tractor on which Charles was working backfired. The engine caught fire and soon flames engulfed the building and all his lifetime collection of tools and equipment. Among the items destroyed was a $12,000 tool box equipped with professional mechanic’s tools which had belonged to his late son, Wayne. The Nesters went shopping for a replacement air compressor Saturday but were unable to find one as large as the original. They also went to a local nursery and bought tomato plants to replace those lost. (The following day, their older daughter, Kay, came out with some additional plants.) They have replaced a few things that were destroyed and hope to re-build the shop soon. The Nesters say, however, that they are most grateful that Charles was not injured in the fire. “I don’t know how I did it, but I got out without any burns,” he says.

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I planted only six tomato plants this year, but I’ll probably have to get replacements for them. The frost we had early this week dealt them a fatal blow, I fear. Richard and Abby Barron, who had given the plants to me, also lost all theirs. This week, maybe I’ll make it down to the Byng Horticulture and get some new plants. I do hope we don’t have more frosts.

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Further proof that spring has been a little late this year is shown by the tardiness of the whippoorwills. They usually arrive in Byng between April 15-17.

This year I heard my first one on the 19th. Bette and I agreed that he sounded a bit dyslexic as if he doesn’t have the sound quite right, but he’ll improve with time.