But the couple has trouble maintaining the house alone, so a gardener comes to help them with the yardwork, and a housecleaning service visits once a month. Claudia's son from a previous marriage, Jim, 50, also comes from San Jose to help his mother with tasks around the house.

One day, 1 ¹/2 years ago, Howard found Claudia lying unconscious in the garage. Doctors gave them different opinions, but Howard believes she had a stroke. Meanwhile, Howard has had two eye operations in his right eye, one for glaucoma and one for cataracts.

Because of these circumstances, neither feels it is safe for them to drive. However, both need to visit the doctor regularly. Howard called the Outreach program of Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority but was told that if either of them could take a bus, they could not use the service. According to the Outreach website, the senior outreach program is for at-risk seniors who are isolated, frail, low-income or have a language barrier.

"If I am going to my doctor in Santa Clara, I don't know how many buses it would take me to get there," says Howard, who uses the bus to get places locally. "That's why I seldom use the bus for doctor's appointments."

So Howard and Claudia were happy to learn of Heart of the Valley (HOV), a nonprofit corporation founded in 1989 that supports independent living for seniors residing in Santa Clara, West San Jose, Cupertino, Saratoga, Sunnyvale, Los Gatos, Campbell and Monte Sereno. Among other services, HOV provides seniors with transportation to appointments, errands and social events, and volunteers stay with the client while they are at an appointment, rather than dropping them off and picking them up later, says HOV director Glenda Cresap.

Sunnyvale resident Alice Millender, 84, has asked the service to find a volunteer to grocery shop for her. She adds that the service helps her live independently with her 88-year-old husband, Johnny. Since she has trouble walking and cannot leave her house, a volunteer from HOV delivers a tape of the sermon from her church every Sunday.

The escorted transportation service costs $2.50, plus 25 cents per mile, but the fee is waived for clients who cannot afford to pay. The $55,000 required annually to operate HOV is provided by donations from clients, volunteers, corporations and churches. According to Cresap, there are currently 120 volunteers servicing more than 700 seniors.

Volunteers grocery shop for Herminia Tiquia. In 1986, Tiquia moved to the United States from the Philippines and worked as a dressmaker. Now 80 years old, she lives with her daughter Elizabeth in Cupertino. But since Elizabeth works all day, HOV volunteers buy Tiquia's groceries and take her to the doctor's office. She has enjoyed the service for almost a year.

"The volunteers are so kind, they don't even let you forget your seatbelt," Tiquia says with a chuckle.

Theresa Johnson, 35, has volunteered with HOV for 11 years. She makes time in her busy schedule as a brokerage representative in Sunnyvale to provide transportation for seniors or do their grocery shopping. The amount of volunteer hours varies month to month, Johnson says. During visits, she generally spends three hours a day with each client, and she usually helps different clients each time.

Johnson remembers the moment she decided to volunteer.

"I noticed lots of seniors waiting at bus stops and thought they were wasting their time when they could be spending the time where they needed to be," says Johnson, who heard about HOV on KNTV. "So I thought it would be a good idea to volunteer for transportation."

Volunteers also help with such activities as gardening, paperwork and housekeeping. In the area of liaison services, a volunteer apprises clients' out-of-town adult children of their parents' well-being and needs.

Since HOV needs clients to call a week ahead of time for doctor's appointments, the Hertzes turn to others in emergency situations. In April, Claudia tripped on uneven pavement while walking to church and broke her nose.

"She came back with bruises and blood on her face," says Howard, who decided she couldn't walk alone to church anymore. "We knew we couldn't call Heart of the Valley so our neighbor took us to the emergency room and stayed with us."

One of HOV's rules is that clients and volunteers cannot become "chummy." Volunteers do not give their phone numbers out to clients in case the volunteer is not available when the client needs them, Johnson says.

But despite that rule, Howard has enjoyed the volunteer drivers, some of whom have helped him on numerous occasions.

"The volunteers and people at the office are the nicest group of people," Howard says.

Since Paul MacQuiddy has flexible hours in his high-tech job as a software engineer, every Friday morning before work he takes an elderly Cupertino resident grocery shopping.

"I feel like I'm contributing a little to society," says MacQuiddy, who is engaged to be married and will continue volunteering when he moves from Cupertino to San Jose. "I like talking to her because she has lived a lot longer than me and has lots of stories. I feel like I made a new friend."

Johnson is just happy to help people. "It makes me feel good, being able to help someone who needs it," she says. "A lot of seniors are reluctant to use the service, but they shouldn't be. ... We all volunteer because we want to help. Hopefully when my day comes, I can get the help I need."

For more information about Heart of the Valley or to volunteer, call 408.241.1571 or visit www.servicesforseniors.org.