After retiring, Roy Sowerby, under his wife's orders, needed a reason to get out of the house.

"I needed to find something to do," he said with a chuckle. "My wife said."

And Bob Jeffrey, the Red Cross volunteer coordinator, had just the thing. Jeffrey needed help with volunteers handing out prescription medications at the McChord Medical Clinic.

Since 2008, Sowerby has volunteered at the clinic at least once a week. When someone doesn't show up for their four-hour shift, Sowerby has been Jeffrey's solution to "Who can I call to fill in?"

And every Christmas, Sowerby, with his snow-white beard and good-natured laugh, has been the perfect fit for Santa Claus. For the past five years, Sowerby has been Santa at the USO and at the Medical Clinic's annual Christmas party. Each December he also goes to every office in the clinic dressed in his red Santa outfit, passing along good Christmas cheer.

In appreciation of Sowerby's volunteer help, he was awarded Friday the Red Cross volunteers quarterly award.

"Roy has been someone we can count on," Jeffrey said.

Sowerby, who regularly picks up someone else's shift, has volunteered 1,000 hours at the pharmacy. Two months ago when a volunteer died, Sowerby agreed to pick up that four-hour shift on Friday afternoons, giving him a second shift during the week.

"Roy isn't the type of person who just sits at home," Jeffrey said. "He needs to be doing something."

He's a guy Jeffrey has learned he can depend on.

Before his Friday shift at the pharmacy, Sowerby volunteers at the USO, where he hands out sandwiches. Sowerby, who retired from the Air Force 36 years ago, often bumps into his old military friends at the USO.

"I really do it for camaraderie," Sowerby said. "I meet a lot of my old flying buddies. It's the fellowship."

There's also an aspect of giving back.

"That's a big part of it, too," Sowerby said. "Giving back to the Air Force."

Col. Amy Connors, who presented Sowerby the award, said Sowerby has a friendly, Santa-like disposition.

"He's a jovial guy," Connors said. "Very friendly."

And modest. Jeffrey fibbed a little to get Sowerby to come in and accept his Red Cross award.

"I thought I was going into work," Sowerby said with a chuckle. "I wouldn't have come if I had known I was getting an award."

Sowerby has "retired" three times. In 1977, he retired from the Air Force after serving 20 years, doing tours in Greenland and then Vietnam in 1967-68. In 2000, he retired from Boeing at age 62. Then seven years later in 2007, he retired again, this time from Walmart.

Now, he keeps busy by volunteering at the pharmacy, at the USO and as Santa each Christmas. When needed, Sowerby also volunteers at the McChord Air Field by taking care of deploying and returning airmen at the main passenger terminal. He also volunteers at the American Lake Veteran's Golf Course as the marshal.

"He's been a big help," Jeffrey said.