GREEN BAY, Wis. —  Bob Hall was looking for a way to help with the pandemic.

A retired pharmacist, he found it earlier this year when Prevea Health put out a call seeking retired medical professionals to help staff vaccination clinics.

“I thought, ‘Gosh, I wish I could find something to allow me to use my degree and background and talents if you will, to help in this global pandemic and do my part as a healthcare professional,’” he said. 

He found it working at a Prevea vaccination clinic in Green Bay where he does vaccine prep and vaccinations.

“I think I was just motivated internally to want to do something to be part of the solution,” Hall said. 

Hall, who spent 45 years as a retail pharmacist on the west coast,  moved to the Green Bay area  from southern California a few years ago to be closer to his oldest son, three grandchildren and daughter-in-law. 

Prevea’s president and chief executive officer, Dr. Ashok Rai, says the help and skills of people like Hall — and others who have come out of retirement —  are important to helping bring the pandemic to an eventual end.

“Everybody wants to be done with this pandemic and everybody realizes the consequences of the pandemic on our society,” he said. “To help bring us to the finish line is a great honor and I think people are looking at it like that and it’s nice to see people come back to work.”

Hall says the work is rewarding, and the people he sees are excited — and grateful —  for the shot. He tells the emotional story of a woman who recently gave him a homemade card to give to the entire staff.

“She had a really nice thank you note,” his voice cracking with emotion.

Hall says he’ll stay with this effort as long as needed.

“I’ve enjoyed coming back and I do actually sometimes think about when this thing ends — and it will — I think, ‘What am I going to do?’ What am I going to do now?’”

Until then, he’s happy to be doing his part.