This description of the volunteer program at the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, suggests that older adults can improve the quality of life for themselves and others by building bridges of understanding between: generations within an organization, paid and unpaid workers, parts of an organization, organizations, and volunteers and other older persons in the community. The introduction, section I, describes retirees as a rich human resource and offers guidelines for a successful experiment based on the experiences of the Andrus volunteers. Section II presents a profile of the volunteers, and describes funding for the program and types of volunteer services requested by the Center, including acting as research subjects and tour guides. In addition, volunteer-initiated activities are described, including educational activities and publications related to gerontology, a speakers corps, the leadership development project, research projects, and community service projects; and the structure of the program is outlined. Section III presents guidelines for building a program of older volunteer personnel. Organizational prerequisites are discussed, and the roles of the volunteers and coordinator are outlined. Suggestions for making volunteer work meaningful are included. (JAC)