Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteers (RCRV) is an organization of retirees serving the community through volunteer activities. RCRV members are mainly retired Rockwell Collins employees but also can include their spouses and active Rockwell Collins employees.

RCRV serves physically challenged children by designing and building adaptive devices. Our volunteers also provide assistance to limited-mobility adults. They serve as resources for technical expertise in a number of areas, including FIRST® programming, and their efforts are truly making a difference in Eastern Iowa.

Mission statement
The benefits of volunteering are well-known and documented. RCRV recognizes the following as part of its mission and activities:

• Help the community be a better place by encouraging retirees to apply their knowledge, skills and creativity in volunteer activities.
• Maintain a retiree database, including those already volunteering, and recruit others and their spouses for projects of interest to them.
• Work in partnership with RSVP and other groups to identify opportunities to make the community a better place to live.
• Recognize volunteers’ contributions and promote volunteerism as a part of the Rockwell Collins culture.
• Assist schools, technical colleges, human service and environmental organizations.
• Support the community-affairs culture of Rockwell Collins.
• Provide opportunities to develop new interests and make new friends.
• Increase understanding and appreciation of community needs.
• Provide opportunities to work with diverse groups of people.
• Offer volunteering as an enjoyable opportunity.
• Strengthen communities where Rockwell Collins operates.
• Leverage impact of corporate financial contributions.

History
RCRV was established in 1999 with the aid and assistance of Rockwell Collins. In the first year, RCRV logged approximately 9,000 volunteer hours through partnership with RSVP, 1,200+ volunteer hours with the Rockwell Engineering Experiences Program and 1,000+ volunteer hours with The REACT Center. Through continued activities, RCRV now:

• Has logged 50,000 volunteer hours in 2009 alone
• Maintains a database of 4,000 Rockwell Collins retirees
• Serves nearly 9,000 physically challenged students in Eastern Iowa through assistive technology
• Posts device drawings on the Web for use by others
• Has received numerous state/community awards including:
• The Governor's Volunteer Award - State of Iowa
• Friend of Education Award - Grant Wood Education Agency
• Outstanding Community Service Award - Options of Linn County

Volunteer Opportunities
One of the major activities of RCRV is assistive technology, which uses the technically creative talents of many Rockwell Collins retirees.

The applications for assistive technology are virtually unlimited. Examples include designing and constructing a special electrical switch needed by an elderly person with arthritis, designing games which bring joy to children with disabilities, and creating devices used by retired engineers to teach young schoolchildren basic science.

This is a unique program RCRV can offer the community because of the many retired engineers, technicians and craftsmen with experience in electrical and mechanical design and manufacture of electronics equipment.

Assistive technology projects are provided through community agencies. For a complete listing of projects, including photos and drawings, visit www.collinsclubs.com/rcrv.

Other programs involving RCRV include the Rockwell Collins Engineering Experiences Program, The REACT Center and partnering with RSVP to fill other volunteer placements in our communities.

How to Become a Member
The Rockwell Collins Retiree Volunteers program is an organization of Rockwell Collins retirees involved in a wide range of volunteer activities in the community. It is intended to benefit both retirees and the community, while responding to needs that volunteers can fill, including those important to Rockwell Collins.

Membership is free and open to any Rockwell Collins retiree or spouse, or any active Rockwell Collins employee.