Gwangyang Steelworks Talent Volunteer Group Brings 'Smiles' to Local Seniors with Foot Massage

Communicating with Local Seniors While Sharing Everyday Stories Alongside Refreshing Massages

Delivery of Love Sharing Kits Containing Warm Socks and Massage Supplies

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Heo Seon-sik] The foot massage volunteer group from POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks (led by Kim Deok-gyu) visited the Gwangyang Center for the Visually Impaired Independence Support on the 10th to carry out sharing activities.

Composed of about 40 employees from Gwangyang Steelworks, the foot massage volunteer group was founded in November 2014 as a talent-sharing volunteer organization that provides about one hour of massage per person, including foot baths, hand, shoulder, and foot massages, to local seniors.

On this day, the members carefully massaged the seniors’ arms, legs, feet, and shoulders as if caring for their own parents, while also sharing small daily stories. Additionally, they lifted spirits with enjoyable performances in between, creating a joyful atmosphere for seniors weary from COVID-19 and other challenges.

Along with providing foot massage volunteer activities to local seniors, they also delivered ‘Love Sharing Kits’ through the Gwangyang City Love Sharing Welfare Foundation (Chairman Kim Jae-kyung).

The ‘Love Sharing Kits’ were created with the hope that seniors would spend the winter warmly, containing thermal socks and foot massage supplies. The foot massage volunteer group made the kits during their days off and also delivered them to the Gwangyang City Public Senior Specialized Hospital on the 6th.

The POSCO Gwangyang Steelworks foot massage volunteer group gathered seniors who usually live in Gwangyang-eup and have difficulty accessing the Visually Impaired Independence Support Center to carry out sharing activities. Moving forward, they plan to expand their reach to various areas of Gwangyang City such as Daap, striving to help many seniors live healthily and happily.

Kim Deok-gyu, the group leader who participated in the volunteer work that day, said, “I hope the seniors will make good use of the foot massage supplies we prepared to relieve fatigue and stay warm this winter with the thermal socks. Although we regretted not being able to hold our regular monthly volunteer activities frequently due to COVID-19, we will work harder on volunteer activities once the situation improves.”

One senior who received a foot massage said, “It was nice that the volunteers gave a refreshing massage to my shoulders and feet, but what was even better was meeting and talking like this today, making me laugh a lot during a time when meetings with people had decreased due to COVID-19.”

Meanwhile, Gwangyang Steelworks signed a business agreement with Gwangyang City in June to promote volunteer activities. Through efforts for mutual growth with the local community, they are actively working to realize a company that coexists with the community by expanding the ‘talent volunteer group’?an asset of ‘corporate citizenship’?in cooperation with related organizations, accelerating the spread of a sharing culture in the local community, and presenting a model where companies and society develop together.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.