METRO VOLUNTEER: Face in the crowd

Sun City Summerlin resident walks the Strip, helping visitors

david becker/viewSummerlin resident Dick Bennett, a volunteer with the Metropolitan Police Department, shares a laugh with English tourist, Christina Wake on the Las Vegas Strip during his weekly walk along the resort corridor. photos by david becker/viewClockwise from top, Summerlin resident Dick Bennett, a volunteer with the Metropolitan Police Department, stands out in his bright yellow jacket, walking the Strip beat helping visitors with directions and questions. Bennett removes escort service fliers from a streetlight post. A friendly face to all, Bennett shakes City Center construction worker John Weber?s hand over a fence. In addition to answering questions, Bennett hands out information to tourists. photos by david becker/viewClockwise from top, Summerlin resident Dick Bennett, a volunteer with the Metropolitan Police Department, stands out in his bright yellow jacket, walking the Strip beat helping visitors with directions and questions. Bennett removes escort service fliers from a streetlight post. A friendly face to all, Bennett shakes City Center construction worker John Weber?s hand over a fence. In addition to answering questions, Bennett hands out information to tourists. photos by david becker/viewClockwise from top, Summerlin resident Dick Bennett, a volunteer with the Metropolitan Police Department, stands out in his bright yellow jacket, walking the Strip beat helping visitors with directions and questions. Bennett removes escort service fliers from a streetlight post. A friendly face to all, Bennett shakes City Center construction worker John Weber?s hand over a fence. In addition to answering questions, Bennett hands out information to tourists.

He can operate the Jaws of Life, put out a fire and administer CPR if he has to. But, most of the time, Dick Bennett, 68, and a Sun City Summerlin resident, just directs tourists to a good show or buffet.

Bennett is a member of the Metropolitan Police Department's volunteer program. He walks the Strip two afternoons a week in his capacity as unofficial greeter for visitors. He also volunteers in the police department's missing persons department, doing that two mornings a week.

But the former leasing agent offers his time to even more groups. He volunteers for the Metro Community Police Academy Advisory Council, the Visitors Assistance Patrol, Catholic Charities Retired Senior Volunteer Program, the Southern Nevada Advisory Council, the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation, Special Olympics, Ronald McDonald House and the juvenile diabetes campagin.

He estimates he volunteers as much as 80 hours a month.

"I like to stay busy," he said. "I'm not one to sit around."

Bennett's volunteerism has not gone unnoticed. He was recently named one of 20 finalists for the Nevada Senior Award of the Governor's Point of Light Award.

"I'm not surprised he was nominated," said Sharon Harding, the police department's volunteer program manager. "He goes above and beyond, is very flexible and wants to work all types of positions."

Volunteering is not something he does for the recognition. He explained that he likes interacting with people and knowing he has helped someone.

"Mostly, I like working with kids and older people," he said.

His penchant for volunteerism began in Chicago, where he was a volunteer fireman for 25 years. He slept on a cot at the station two nights a week and was traveling two nights a week for his job with Sears as vice president of retail leasing.

His daughter Linda Staresinick recalled how her father was absent at the dinner table many nights. She figured other fathers had schedules just like her dad's.

"I didn't realize we (were different) until I was an adult and had kids of my own," she said.

Bennett spends four to five hours a week on the Las Vegas Strip directing tourists and being the eyes and ears of the Las Vegas police. He said interacting with people was one of his favorite things to do. He will often approach people who have cameras and offer to play photographer so they're all in the shot together. Many times, fearful he's a thief, the tourists refuse.

"Then, when I turn to walk away and they see my shirt says I'm a police volunteer, they'll call me back," he said.

Tourists will ask if he can't do something about the smut peddlers on the Strip. He has to explain that, by law, they have a right to be there. But when it comes to advertisements left stuck to light poles or stuffed in cyclone fencing, he removes them, tossing them into the garbage.

"People stand there and clap when we take them down," he said.

Mostly, Bennett answers questions -- visitors want directions, tourists ask about family oriented activities. As for the funniest question he has received from a visitor, Bennett said, "Where is the Bellagio?"

"They were standing right in front of the lake when they asked me," he said.

About three years ago, a convention for the visually impaired was held at the Riviera, and volunteers were needed to escort attendees to shopping venues and on a dinner lake cruise.

During the same convention, Bennett said he guided a man who jogged the final stretch of a marathon by letting the man rest his hand on his shoulder. Another activity included accompanying a group of blind conventioners to Nye county to meet the ladies of a brothel.

"The bus was 45 minutes late getting back because two of the gentlemen decided to take advantage of the services," he said.

Someone helping out so many organizations might forget which one they're driving to, but Bennett said he never has questioned where he's off to next.

"It's not like if it's Tuesday, this must be the Salvation Army," he said.

Bennett's next foray into volunteering will involve learning police driving skills at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Passing that course will then have him going out in an unmarked police car to ticket those illegally using handicap parking spaces.

As for Bennett's daughter, Staresinick has caught the volunteering bug from her father and is now undergoing a 12-week citizen training course with the Las Vegas police department.

The Nevada Commission for National and Community Service is always looking for volunteers. For more information, visit www.NevadaVolunteers.org.