Oklahoma's Own: 94-Year-Old Volunteer Making A Difference

With the new year, lots of people have made New Year's resolutions. Volunteering is a good resolution that can lift your spirits and help others at the same time. One remarkable woman, in her 90's, is making a difference with her volunteer work.

At the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma's Culinary Center, highly trained chefs and workers are dicing and mixing delicious gourmet meals to give to hundreds of people in need. And right there alongside them is 94-year-old Mildred Buffington.

That kind of service to others is wonderful in itself, but Mildred's volunteerism is remarkable. Technically, at her age, she's a nonagenarian. At the food bank, she's an inspiration.

"You know when you get this age, you might feel the same. You might want to volunteer, but really you would start before you're 94, because you have to get into it before then. Don't wait until you're 94," she said.

Since she started volunteering twice a week at the food bank a few years ago, it's estimated Buffington has chopped and diced more than three tons of produce.

"When I went to Langston, I did major in home economics," she laughed.

That was in 1939. Since then she had a career as a supervisor of children's centers, retired in 1979, and in 2008 returned to Tulsa to be close to family, and started volunteering at the culinary center.

"I've diced potatoes, I've diced tomatoes, I've diced onions, celery, green peppers, all of those things," Buffington said.

All of those ingredients go into nutritious pre-cooked and packaged meals that go out to hundreds of people each week.

Buffington says being active helps to keep her going. She hates to think of anyone going hungry and loves the people she's around. Buffington says volunteering at 94 is no big deal. Attitude is more important than age.

"I had an aunt that lived to 99. I had one that lived to 97," she said.

Buffington credits good genes. She works out every day. But it also may have to do with having such a caring heart that has led to longevity and a legacy of making a difference.

"I'm able to do it. I thank God for that," she said.

Buffington is a remarkable woman. In addition to her degree at Langston in 1939, she also studied at UCLA and Stanford and got a masters degree at Pepperdine in her 60's, just three years before she retired. She says she was the oldest person in her graduating class.