Patrick Tehan / Bay Area News GroupVilma Pallette had a long career in nonprofits, even serving as volunteer coordinator for the 1984 Olympics, overseeing 32,000 volunteers, and later doing the same thing for the 1994 World Cup. Now she’s starting a new career as a motivational speaker, specifically addressing the older crowd and the need to reinvent oneself and explore new things.

It recently occurred to Vilma Pallette, of Santa Clara, California, that we all go to great lengths to extend our longevity through nutrition, exercise and healthful lifestyles.

And it’s working, but then — when we finally get to those “extra” years — what do we do with them?

Pallette, who worked with nonprofit organizations for decades, has launched a new career herself as a motivational speaker-trainer for the “seasoned set,” as she calls the 50-plus crowd, celebrating the idea of pursuing one’s passions at a later stage in life and also promoting multigenerational discussions in the business world.

Q. Tell us about your background in nonprofits.

A. I was an elementary school teacher professionally and loved it, but recognized there was an aspect I particularly enjoyed — the talking part, persuading and motivating students. Then once I had children of my own, the world that opened up to me was the nonprofit world.

I’m a nonprofit enthusiast. That’s been my life since I graduated from Stanford. I liked leadership positions, several of which came to me through various avenues when I lived in Southern California for 40 years, working with hospitals and volunteer groups. I had been president of the Junior League of Los Angeles.

This kind of thing evolved, and I was the director of volunteer services for the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles and thought I was going to get involved with maybe 5,000 volunteers. We had 32,000! Then 10 years later, I was the national director of volunteers for the World Cup in 1994 with 23,000 volunteers spaced over nine cities across the country.

After that, I moved to the Bay Area, in 1995, and joined a number of nonprofit boards up here, and I was a training coordinator for five years for what was then Child Advocates of Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Loved that work, but it was pretty much 24/7.

Q. Why do you feel folks of greater years need motivation these days?

A. We have so many young people graduating from college and coming out looking for jobs in corporations in Silicon Valley. That means companies are re-examining the people who are already on staff, and there’s a move to sweeten the pot for those over 50 so they would be gently moved out to early retirement by age 55.

A lot of them, unless they’re entrepreneurial by nature or willing to retrain in another direction — how will they find a place in the job market they were just gently pushed out of? And if you can’t do that, we’re all living longer, what are you going to do for the next 30 years?

Q. Why do you encourage multigenerational discussions in the business sector?

A. The word dismissal is what comes to mind.

Younger people will dismiss older people as not having new ideas. It is not intentional, they’re just clueless or we’re not on their radar screens. But if you don’t have multigenerational representation in whatever you’re doing, you’re missing out.

Don’t dismiss us. Give us a chance and we’ll promise not to start our sentences with “Back in my day.”

Q. What prompted your move into motivational speaking?

A. The idea has been germinating since the end of 2013 when I was chairing another nonprofit fundraiser.

I said to myself, “It’s time for you to retire from that, but if you do, what will you replace it with?” I had been asked by a couple of women’s groups to give little talks about ways to stay involved. They were mixed generation but heavy on the older person.

I’ve been telling people that these are the ascendancy years, not the declining years — it’s an opportunity to reinvent yourself.

Suddenly it dawned on me: Hey, I should be following my own words: “What do you really like to do?” Well, I like to talk. To address a group is really the top of the mountain for me.

There’s a need for pro bono speakers in the nonprofit world, so I started to get some things lined up.

I’m on the October calendar for a presentation at the first meeting of the year of the support group for the Good Samaritan Hospital in Los Angeles, a decidedly multigenerational group. I’ve talked to people at community TV. There’s something coming up with a Rotary Club, a couple of women’s groups in Silicon Valley.

My particular crusade is that I’m a capital-V volunteer. It’s not about marking time and not about just being a do-gooder, but doing it with some thought of the joy of it.

If you’re not ignited in these years of retirement, then you’re missing a boat here. Assuming you’re not debilitated and have some freedom, this time is an incredible opportunity to enrich your own life.

Life is a cherry orchard out there, folks. We’ve been given a gift. So I’m going to try something new. I may fall flat on my face, but who cares? I’ll pick myself up and try something else.