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Bayles has a 'can-do' attitude

By Sarah A. Wise
NL Staff Writer

1 November 2007 — Henry Bayles hasn’t let retirement slow him down any. In fact, he says he often works just as hard these days as he did when he was employed full-time.

Henry is involved with the local chapter of the AARP, where he works with the driver safety program, and serves as the section coordinator for the organization and vice president of the local chapter.

Recently, Henry was honored for his service with an AARP North Carolina Legacy Award. He was one of five people to receive this award, which was given for the first time this year. The award recognizes members who have an outstanding community service record.

Chester Beverly, who has been Henry’s Driver Safety instruction partner since 2001, nominated him for the award. In his nomination, he said that he felt Henry’s work with the AARP and the Driver Safety program had impacted the community in many ways. But what makes Henry extraordinary is the attitude with which he performs these services.

“In all of his duties and chapter endeavors, he always displayed a cheerful ‘can-do’ attitude in helping people, regardless of the circumstances,” Mr. Beverly said.

Henry’s biggest passion lies in helping people through the Driver Safety program, which he has been working with for nine years. The program is an eight-hour course designed by AARP and several federal safety organizations. It aims to educate senior citizens about driver safety, including newer laws that have been passed since the driver’s original license was issued.

“We hope we’re getting them prepared for when they start testing everyone every year,” he said.

Though the course is designed for senior citizens, Henry said anyone 17 or older is eligible for the class. He said he has even had students as old as 93 years old in several courses he has taught.

Henry says that his motivation to keep working with the program comes through the results he sees in those that take the course. At the end of each session, the participants fill out an evaluation form. But more than that, Henry says he often hears feedback right away from participants.

“I have taught classes where, halfway through, people come up to me and say ‘I thought I knew how to drive until I came here,’” he said. “That right there shows you the need for a class like this.”

In addition to instructing classes in the local chapter area, Henry also serves as the district coordinator for AARP’s Section 15, which includes nine counties from Wayne to the coast. As a coordinator, Henry helps to schedule classes and recruit instructors. Also, if an instructor cannot make it to a scheduled class, Henry finds a replacement or steps in to teach the course himself. This means that many of his days are spent traveling around eastern North Carolina, observing or assisting with classes.

Currently, Henry said the program is seeing great success. He has recruited 10 active instructors, which means that more courses can be offered. He says that for one class that is coming up next week, he anticipates having 35 attendees.

“We signed up 13 people at our booth at the fair, and with other people who hear about it and members of the church we’re using, I wouldn’t be surprised if we had 35 people there,” he said.

Henry has lived in Pikeville since 1996, and has been involved with the local AARP chapter almost as long. He was born in Louisiana, and spent time in Texas, Arizona, and South Dakota as an adult.

He spent most of his adult years living in Texas, where he retired from the military in 1964. He owned a small business selling educational products to schools.

But in 1996, he and his wife Kathleen made the move to Pikeville. Their son had retired from the military as well, and he knew people in the area. Their granddaughter was also living in the area at the time. And, Henry adds, it put them closer to their daughter, who lives in Massachusetts.

“From Texas, anywhere is a long way,” he said. “We’re closer to her here.”

He and Kathleen have been married for 64 years, and have two children, five grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

You might say that Henry lives a pretty full life. But if you ask him, it’s nothing. He is humble about his success and the work he does.

“When they nominated me for the award, I told them I didn’t want it,” he said. “But it didn’t have much of an effect.”

The nomination was voted unanimously by the entire chapter, and Mr. Beverly submitted the application.

Henry plans on continuing his work with the AARP and the Driver Safety program, because he feels that it really makes a difference for the senior citizens he works with.

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