Dennis Swinton came to Rochelle when he was 16 years old.

After that, he moved 22 times for work with his family. Of all the cities he lived in, he never found one that compared to “The Hub City.” After 30 years away, he moved back to Rochelle with his family in 2009. He’s been a volunteer in the community since.

Swinton’s volunteer work has included the Rochelle Kiwanis Golden K Club, the Boy Scouts, the Rochelle Moose Lodge and the Masonic Lodge. He’s been a member of Kiwanis Golden K for 20 years. He heads up the program’s plastic bottle caps recycling program that has collected 6,584 pounds of caps and produced 31 locally installed items, including benches made from the recycled plastic.

He also helps with the Kiwanis pancake breakfasts, chili suppers and hot dog vending. He’s worked as an adviser for the Rochelle Township High School Key Club and has started three different Builders Clubs at Kings, Steward and Creston elementary schools.

“I try to help everywhere,” Swinton said. “Rochelle has been so good to me. There’s nothing else like this place. That’s why I choose to volunteer and give back. I think working with the youth is where the real talent and truth is. I was involved years ago with the Boy Scouts. I like being where I can give back.”

Swinton became a Kiwanis Golden K member after one of his former bosses asked him to stop by a meeting. He did, and “fell right into it,” he said. He’s enjoyed working with the club and attending Thursday meetings and events.

The Kiwanis Club works to cultivate the community’s next generation of volunteers, Swinton said.

“A lot of the young people are too busy to be in a club because they have so many things going on,” Swinton said. “The older people try to do it, and some of them can’t. And then there’s an in-between. People whose kids have grown up and left the house, and they’re looking for something to be involved in that’s worthwhile. You invite them in and treat them right, and they stick and become the next generation of community volunteers.”

Swinton enjoys serving food at Kiwanis events in the community, where he often sees young adults who remember him from his past volunteer work, such as advising the RTHS Key Club. He enjoys the feeling of knowing he’s made an impact on people over the years.

Swinton has been fully retired for 18 years, which has allowed for more volunteer work. But he’s not sure how much time he’s spent doing it.

“We have a list at Kiwanis where we’re supposed to log how much time we spend volunteering,” Swinton said. “I never fill it out. I don’t really believe in it. I think if I wrote it all down, I’d probably talk myself out of continuing to do it. I don’t count hours.”

Six years of work on the plastic bottle cap recycling program has seen installations at schools, senior living communities, churches, along the bike path, in parks, at Railfan Park, the VFW, the Hub City Senior Center and more.

Swinton lives near Rochelle Middle School, where he often sees benches from the program used by students.

“I like seeing all the benches around town that we’ve put up,” Swinton said. “Those benches don’t wear out. They’re a permanent fixture. That means a lot to me.”

Swinton enjoys giving an update at each Thursday morning Kiwanis Golden K meeting on the progress of the recycling program and the other work he does for the club.

“We have so many people in Kiwanis Golden K that do so many good things,” Swinton said. “And they’re always happy. I never hear anyone complaining. We’re just a happy group. We’re trying to cultivate the next generation. That’s why we work with the clubs at the grade schools and the high school.”