By one estimate, he has done 8,950 hours of volunteer work since he retired 18 years ago.

"The important thing is to do something," Ritch said. "You have to get out there and share."

For all the things he shares with others, Ritch recently was named outstanding male volunteer of the year at the Mayor's Senior Recognition program. He was selected from more than 70 elders nominated by community service organizations, senior clubs, government agencies, friends and family. (A profile of the outstanding female volunteer of the year, Lily Canas of Mililani, will be published in next week's 'Ohana section.)

"He's there on a moment's notice to help his neighbor fix her toilet or sink, or dig out a tree root system or paint a room for another," said his friend and nominator, Virginia Druz of Kailua. "And he's always cheerfully willing to help those who can't do for themselves due to lack or strength or know-how."

Hearing a list of his activities, you have to wonder where Ritch finds time for everything.

He's been president, vice president and secretary of the Windward AARP chapter; an officer of the Kailua Seniors; treasurer and trustee of the Kalama Beach Club; a volunteer at the Kokokahi YWCA; past president of the American Society of Safety Engineers in Hawai'i, and lots more. He also heads a community effort to provide food, clothing, books, toys and more for needy families on Moloka'i.

With all the groups, he regularly pitches in with anything he's asked to do — from accounting to cooking, maintenance to dancing.

Maybe best of all, he shows other seniors how to live life fully by example, Druz said.

"A lot of people, when they retire, just want to stay home and watch TV," Ritch said on a rare break on his lanai. "I try to tell everyone I meet that there's a lot more to life out there than that."

In 1987, Ritch's wife Bettylou died after a five-year battle with lung cancer. Now he's frequently called upon to counsel other elders who suffer similar losses.

"People will call and say they just can't go on after something like that," Ritch said. "I tell them to join the crowd. Keep active,

engage yourself. Don't become a clam, but don't forget that your best friend is still with you. Just because she's not there physically doesn't mean she's not still a big part of your life."

Ritch met Bettylou, a Kalihi girl, when she was a student at Simmons College in Boston in the 1950s. They married and in 1960 moved back to Hawai'i, where Ritch worked for 27 years for First Insurance Co. as head of the engineering department, a job that often required him to perform community service.

Since he retired in 1988, Ritch has worked harder then ever. At Kalama Beach Club, a Kailua institution, Ritch donates countless hours of maintenance, painting, cleaning up, carpentry, and cooking for big parties. He was instrumental in opening the club facilities to nonprofit organizations.

A sailor in his earlier days, Ritch prepared food for more than 500 people at several regattas, which raised enough money to allow the Kokokahi YWCA to establish a sailing program. Most recently, he's been active in the community effort dubbed "Operation Moloka'i." His home is used to store all the bags and boxes of donations, which he sorts, packs and labels before they are sent by barge to Moloka'i.

"A whole lot of people help," Ritch said. "We're very pleased with all the support we get from the groups involved."

Ritch has an active personal and family life, too.

He's a long-distance caregiver for an 84-year-old sister and her 92-year-old husband on the Mainland, making frequent trips to his home state of Connecticut at his own expense and always offering reassurance and advice by telephone.

At home in Kailua he does the cooking, shopping and house repairs for his daughter and himself, and enjoys inviting friends and acquaintances over for breakfast or dinner.

He's an avid reader, swimmer and traveler, having recently discovered the world of cruising. He likes to swim and walk along Kailua Beach, seeing every passing person as a potential new friend.

"Although he purports to being a curmudgeon," Druz said, "we know he is a great pretender.