Linda Sandmel began volunteering at age 13 as a candy striper. For nearly 70 years since then, her passion for helping others has not wavered. Through raising three children, surviving non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, and all of the other various trials and tribulations life brings, Sandmel has made giving back a priority in every stage of her life.
Now, at 82, Sandmel is still volunteering in the ways she still can. Her grandmother taught her through her own actions that there is no age limit when it comes to giving back.
“My grandmother was volunteering when she was 82 years old, and she used to take the bus to see the ‘old’ people,” Sandmel said. “From the time I was very young, she was always volunteering, and she was my inspiration in many ways.”
Since her cancer diagnosis in 1988, Sandmel has worked to give back to others going through similar experiences. She has gone through many rounds of chemo and radiation, a stem cell transplant in 2013 and monthly infusions for four years. While never officially in remission, Sandmel has been thankful for her health and has not taken it for granted.
“It’s important for me to be able to touch other people, because I’ve had many people touch me, especially over the last 36 years,” she said. “Volunteering gave me a chance to help others when I could.”
Sandmel worked at Monsanto from 1960 to 1991, with a nine-year break in the middle to raise her children. Toward the end of her career as a corporate meeting planner, she had the opportunity to be a “torch lighter” for the United Way.
“They had a group of us that spoke to groups to encourage them to donate to the United Way, and we each had our different things that we talked about that related to United Way’s mission,” Sandmel said. “I had been in a cancer support group, so I talked about how important support groups were. It was very fulfilling to be able to do that.”
Given the impact support groups had on her life, her next step after retiring from Monsanto was working for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to run programs, going from a support group attendee to a staff member. She also helped to start their annual Light the Night fundraiser.
“From my experiences, I have learned that no matter what’s going on in your life, you have to have somebody you can talk to,” Sandmel said. “Even if they’re not there to give you answers, they’re there to listen to you. And that’s why the support groups are so important.”
She also served on the staff of Camp Rainbow for 25 years, forming strong connections with the children she touched. At camp, she was known as Crabby Linda — not for her demeanor, but for a big crab hat she wore to put a smile on the faces of the campers.
“I would run into the kids away from camp, and they’d say, ‘Hi Crabby, how are you?’ And their parents would say, ‘Don’t call that lady Crabby!’ Sandmel said. “I’ve just always had a lot of fun with my volunteer work.”
Most recently, Sandmel has focused her volunteer efforts on hospice. In 2000, she joined the Comfort Singers, part of the Pathways Hospice Program and, in 2018 until the pandemic, she volunteered at Evelyn’s House in Creve Coeur. She also coordinates birthday deliveries to those in hospice care.
“The best thing you can do is be a listening ear for someone,” Sandmel said. “Listening and having empathy is the most important thing. Just be there to hold someone’s hand if that’s what they need.”
Sandmel’s connection to her Judaism and the Jewish community has guided another aspect of her volunteer work. A longtime member of Congregation Shaare Emeth, Sandmel formed and chaired the shiva committee, leading shiva minyans and teaching others how to lead them. She taught Hebrew school, led alternative Shabbat morning services and has been part of a Rosh Chodesh study group for the past 25 years. She even had a bat mitzvah in 1990 at age 48.
“I have learned so much from all the things I have done,” she said. “I have always looked for anywhere I can learn more information.”
Sandmel’s desire to learn and grow led her to participate in Hebrew Union College’s pararabbinic training in 2001 after being recommended by a clergy member.
“I was always interested in learning more about Judaism, even though I had a great background,” she said. “But I really wanted to do something further. So I went to the program for three weeks one summer and one week the next. We were trained to do everything except weddings and conversions, because those are legal. We learned how to do eulogies, shivas (and) visit patients.”
While Sandmel had already been part of the shiva committee at Shaare Emeth, she took her newfound training a step further and utilized it outside of the formal congregation setting.
“Most of the people in the class came from small towns where they didn’t have a full-time rabbi, so they needed somebody to perform all those things,” she said. “They didn’t have the same need at Shaare Emeth, but because people knew that I had the training, I started doing baby namings for friends. I did stone settings for friends. It was really my pleasure to be able to do that for people I knew.”
She participated in the training alongside Sharon Weissman, another member of Shaare Emeth and a 2024 Unsung Hero. The close friends have volunteered together for many years, at Shaare Emeth and at Pathways Hospice.
“She’s one of these people who doesn’t seek the limelight,” Weissman said. “She’s someone who cares about people and wants to enhance their lives in whatever way possible.”
Outside of their formal volunteer work, Weissman also touched on Sandmel’s giving spirit in their personal lives.
“She’s a very good cook, and often makes meals that get delivered to friends, family, or someone in need,” Weissman said. “She’s always the first to volunteer to do that kind of thing.”
Sandmel’s volunteer work at Shaare Emeth has stood out to the clergy for many years. Rabbis Andrea Goldstein and James Bennett shared the impact her work has had on so many lives throughout the years.
“As the head of our shiva committee for over 20 years, Linda was instrumental in bringing comfort and hope to so many of our families,” Goldstein said. “Linda has been a valued leader and participant in almost every aspect of congregational life here at Shaare Emeth.”
Bennett also shared how she has positively affected the Shaare Emeth community for the more than 40 years she’s been there.
“Linda is inspirational in so many ways,” he said. “She teaches others the power of positivity in the face of life’s challenges, the beauty of Jewish tradition and Torah, and the mitzvah of chesed, loving kindness.”
Sandmel’s advice to the next generation? Give back for all the blessings you have received.
“It’s very important to give back for all the blessings that you have received,” she said. “I’ve been volunteering since I was 13 years old, and it’s made me a better, more fulfilled person.
“I feel very fortunate to have had all of these experiences, because I have met a lot of different people and I’ve learned a lot from them. The best thing you can ever do is to volunteer, because you get back so much more than you give.”
