Written by Carolyn Greco, City of Dublin Volunteer
Every second and fourth Saturday you might see dad Tony, and sons Anthony, 15, and Alex, 13, in the Teen Lounge at the Dublin Recreation Center offering in-person “Help Desk” tech support. The program is called Teen Tech Support (or TTS for short) and it has generated a lot of excitement as part of the City’s Aging in Place Program.
Anthony started TTS as an Eagle Scout project for Dublin Troop 111 along with Alex, dad Tony, and a handful of talented teen techies from the Dublin community. They offer appointments but walk-ins are also welcome. Anthony’s goal for TTS is to build a resource for older Dublin adults struggling with technology. Eventually the program will be opened up to anyone in Dublin who would like a little assistance using their iOS, Android and Alexa devices.
Dad Tony was also featured in the 2019 State of the City address where the Alexa Pilot Project was highlighted. He worked with a Dublin senior who is legally blind and helped her set up and use an Amazon Alexa device to enhance her standard of living. The Trippe family visited their “buddy” on a number of occasions and installed voice activated lights and audiobooks to foster more independent living.
Volunteering is more than helping with technology though. The family also volunteers for the Dublin Irish Festival where Tony and Lisa drive the celebrity golf carts and Anthony cooks in the volunteer kitchen. Alex also joins in on the fun by helping with City programs like baking cookies for military personnel and keeping our parks clean.
The rest of the family gets their volunteer enthusiasm from mom Lisa, who is a Community Service Officer (CSO) with the Dublin Police Department, and a graduate of all the Dublin citizen university programs–including the fire academy and Citizen U. As a CSO Lisa does house checks, assists with lock outs and monitors crowd control at Dublin parades. She also volunteers with Cub Care at the Memorial Tournament where she helps keep an eye on the players’ children, supports the on-site teachers, and makes lunches.
Lisa also volunteers with the Washington Township fire department and at Christmas collected Toys for Tots, cooked hot dogs at their Open House and volunteered for pictures with Santa on the old fire truck.
“People may be surprised what the police and fire do for the community,” said Lisa. “The more you know about what our City employees do, the more you learn to appreciate what we have here in Dublin.”
This July the Trippe family will be celebrating 16 years living in Dublin.
“We instilled into the kids when they were little that we are blessed to live here,” said Lisa. “Even Alex made placemats for the veterans when he was little. We have good schools, a low crime rate, bike paths and community involvement. We told the kids that when you’ve been blessed you should try to give back.”
The family agrees that Dublin is a great place to raise a family and that they can’t think of a more vibrant community to live, work, and volunteer.
The Volunteer Spotlight series shines a light on the City of Dublin’s valued volunteers. To recommend a deserving volunteer, or to inquire about volunteer opportunities, email volunteer@dublin.oh.us.
