Volunteer Spotlight: Ben Crawford

Robert “Ben” Crawford says he doesn’t like to toot his own horn. He hasn’t had to.

For decades, Crawford’s work has spoken for itself through service to his community, the Commonwealth and the nation. A longtime Blacksburg resident, he has served on or taken part in more than 100 boards, commissions and organizations, earning numerous awards along the way.

“Volunteering is something you’re not paid for in money, but you’re paid in so many other ways,” Crawford said.

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Service has shaped nearly every chapter of his life. Over the years, Crawford has worked with groups ranging from the Boy Scouts and 4-H to the Salvation Army, civic clubs, Alpha Phi Omega and his church. He has helped found nonprofit organizations and led community efforts focused on lasting change.

One organization has remained especially meaningful: AARP.

Crawford values AARP’s commitment to dignity and respect and its focus on people who need support the most. He recalls the organization’s advocacy to protect Social Security during congressional debates over the program.

“AARP fought that and won,” he said.

Today, he points to AARP’s ongoing work to improve life for older adults, including strengthening nursing home standards and supporting family caregivers. After serving several years on AARP’s Executive Council, Crawford now volunteers as a community ambassador.

“Our job is to bring people together and get organizations involved,” he said. “We want to make things happen.”

That work can include matching trained volunteers with community needs, helping secure speakers, assisting with training or accompanying advocates to meetings with legislators. When organizations request presentations on issues such as fraud prevention, Crawford helps identify and connect appropriate AARP-trained volunteers. He also coordinates support for events such as food drives and community outreach efforts, and has traveled many times to Washington to meet with members of Congress and their staffs.

One of his most notable AARP efforts centered on voter engagement in Virginia. Working with others in the Blacksburg chapter, Crawford helped drive public outreach, staff polls, call elected officials, collect signatures and encourage civic participation. A letter he wrote to the editor ran in several newspapers, including The Washington Post. Those efforts earned Crawford and the chapter the AARP Virginia Chapter Advocacy Award in 2022.

Crawford’s commitment to service began early. While in graduate school at Virginia Tech in the 1950s, he was approached by the Boy Scouts of America. Already an Eagle Scout, he later went on to serve the organization for more than 80 years, including chairing a national committee that helped strengthen community service requirements for Eagle Scouts.