Wall of Fame

The National Winner will be announced on June 30, 2013. – Get a reminder

2013 State Winners – go to Canadian site

U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

John Corley

Theodore, AL

March 7, 2013
Several years ago, when my nephew was attending Nan Gray Davis, a program called rolling readers was started. They asked the people in the community come and read to a class. My dad, who loves to read, jumped at the opportunity. He feels that reading is very important and you can gather so much… read more

Alabama

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Sally Jo Collins

McGrath, AK

March 22, 2013
SALLY JO COLLINS COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER Who knows where those big concrete barriers along the river road came from? Who knows about the single gravesite down by the ballpark? Who knows where the first runway was built in Old McGrath? Sally Jo Collins knows. She has made a lifetime commitment to… read more

Alaska

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Clela Wanamaker

Sun City West, AZ

March 30, 2013
As a health care professional, Clela has always been concerned about the health risks of obesity. Thirty one years ago, after retirement, she resolved to do what she could to help people lose their excess weight. As a retired nurse from Honeywell who had started a diet group for employees she had… read more

Arizona

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Mickey Bridger

Jonesboro, AR

March 8, 2013
Mickey was on the local and state board for special Olympics and Eunice Kennedy Scriber gave him an award for implementing a program that was adopted world wide to get games sped up in the track and field competetion. He was the official starter for all races and ran 75% of them with the kids… read more

Arkansas

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Pat Scott

Banning, CA

March 12, 2013
Pat saw an advertisement for volunteers needed for Hospice and took our training.She thought she would prefer to help in the office but decided to challenge herself by visiting terminally ill patients. The patients and families love Pat. She gives families members time away from the difficult task… read more

California

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Roger T Berg

Broomfield, CO

March 27, 2013
After several years of wintering in Sun City, Palm Desert, California as a retiree and enjoying days of leisure, golfing relaxing, entertaining and being entertained by friends, I began asking myself, "Is this all there is to retirement?" and "Could I be doing more with my time?." I was attracted to… read more

Colorado

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Joyce Swokla

Middletown, CT

March 24, 2013
Joyce has been volunteering all of her adult life. She is selfless and devoted. Joyce has been a hospice volunteer for a long time and went through special training to learn about end of life and providing comfort measures. She is a special person and brings those who she helps comfort and… read more

Connecticut

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Herbert Konowitz

Dover, DE

February 19, 2013
After 50 years of owning his own manufacturing facility Herb retired to add additional chapters to his life. Herb is one of those people that loves to volunteer and encourages other to do the same. When he volunteers for Score of Delaware he makes a huge impact by counseling business owners… read more

Delaware

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Jacqueline Durham

Washington DC, DC

March 31, 2013
Jackie started volunteering at Miriam's Kitchen after finding that Miriam's Kitchen was in her neighborhood and learning about homelessness while Mitch Snyder (a local figure) was advocating for homeless needs. She leads an arts and crafts group multiple times a week. All the guests at Miriam's… read more

District of Columbia

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Florence Katz

Sarasota, FL

March 13, 2013
A little dynamo, Florence Katz, age 97, is an advocate and champion for homebound, isolated seniors. Florence is a dedicated volunteer at JFCS Senior Outreach Services. SOS is a twice weekly program serving over 120 home-bound, isolated seniors and caregivers. These twice weekly programs offer… read more

Florida

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Carole Tutan

Savannah, GA

March 20, 2013
After retiring from a medical practice, Carole began volunteering in our hospice's inpatient facility, Hospice House. She was so wonderful with our patients, so dedicated to our mission, and so beloved by our staff, that we quickly asked her to become a mentor to new volunteers. She helps support… read more

Georgia

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Fred Ruge

Wailuku, HI

March 29, 2013
Fred Ruge, a Korean Combat Veteran has devoted his life to serving the Veteran community. He has volunteered and been on the board of the Salvation Army for 20 years. He is an honorary member of the 442nd Nisei Veterans for all the volunteer service he has done for them.Most of the Nisei Veterans… read more

Hawaii

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

David D. Shaw

Eagle, ID

February 15, 2013
If the dogs at the Idaho Humane Society could talk and vote for one special person that makes their lives better, they would all shout a resounding DAVE ! Dave is one of those special volunteers that spend hours and hours walking, talking to, grooming, transporting, cuddling and making life just a… read more

Idaho

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

LuAnn Leefers

Carlinville, IL

February 14, 2013
LuAnn is the best at what she does, It begins with her presence just because. Braving the weather to open their door, Asking if they need help and much, much more. She greets the patients as they come in, making sure they know where to begin. Wheelchairs or walkers, she doesn't mind, She… read more

Illinois

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Georgia Schaich

Bloomington, IN

March 12, 2013
At the age of 9, Georgia started volunteering daily, taking extra portions of meals that her mom cooked to an elderly homebound couple who lived next door. Georgia hasn't stopped since, and continues working many hours a day as a volunteer. Her entire life has been about service to others: … read more

Indiana

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Elizabeth Kacere

Cedar Rapids, IA

March 29, 2013
It goes without saying, Elizabeth is one of kind. She is a very special person to a lot of people. Elizabeth has been serving others in one way or another for over 50 years. I became aware of Elizabeth's compassion for helping others when I joined St. George Church in 1986. She has graced many… read more

Iowa

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Opal Wilson

Hutchinson, KS

February 27, 2013
Opal is the ultimate volunteer--I first met her when she was 87 years old. At the time, she was volunteering for the sheriff's department (driving all over the county with her 85 year old partner) checking on people in the rural areas, helping stranded motorists, or removing dead animal carcasses… read more

Kansas

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Alta Haunsz

Louisville, KY

March 29, 2013
It is with distinct pleasure I join in the nomination of Alta for the Salute to Senior Service contest. Alta is currently the President of the Volunteer Association at Baptist Health LaGrange. As the former Baptist Health LaGrange Volunteer Director, I have worked with Alta longer than any other… read more

Kentucky

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Charles Bennett

Baton Rouge, LA

March 22, 2013
Charles Bennett has been a full time volunteer since his retirement from ExxonMobil 23 years ago. As an ExxonMobil retiree, he has been instrumental in obtaining both personal and team grants for many organizations with a total monetary value of $582,266.34 through 2011. Charles volunteers… read more

Louisiana

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Delene Perley

Windham, ME

March 4, 2013
Delene has worked tirelessly to improve operations of Cumberland County's most significant food pantry. She coordinates all the pantry activities including restocking, purchasing, and rescuing food and non-food items offered at the pantry, scheduling volunteers, handling farm produce donations in… read more

Maine

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

June Yeich

Ocean City, MD

March 28, 2013
Thank you for allowing us the opportunity to nominate Coastal Hospice Volunteer June Yeich. June's experience helping a family member with end of life care gave her the desire to support hospice and its mission. For the last 3 years June has volunteered over 200 hours each year touching the… read more

Maryland

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Charlie Franks

Chelmsford, MA

March 6, 2013
In volunteering to work with dogs at the Humane Society for Greater Nashua (HSFN), Charlie Franks had three goals: (1) do something he's passionate about, (2) be productive, (3) spend time with people he likes and not become a hermit. HSFN offers him all of these things. The shelter dogs are his… read more

Massachusetts

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Magnolia Bodley

Kalamazoo, MI

March 26, 2013
Magnolia Bodley is a role model for what an individual can do for his/her community. She was the first volunteer at Lending Hands at John Hilliard's home on January, 2007. She has been sanitizing various medical equipment, answering phones, interacting with clients with the necessary paperwork and… read more

Michigan

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Phyllis Parker

Grand Marais, MN

March 28, 2013
Phyllis began as a Hospice volunteer in 1993 while living in Michigan and continued through moves to Wisconsin and California. When Phyllis moved to Grand Marais, Minnesota there was no hospice. She began doing Respite Care in Cook County until Care Partners was formed. Phyllis met a woman with an… read more

Minnesota

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Louise McKigney

Tchula, MS

March 31, 2013
Louise has lived in Holmes County, Mississippi, the 5th poorest county in the U.S., and has volunteered for over 40 years. She volunteered in a medical clinic and health care for the first 10 years and then began her volunteer work with ROCC, a non-profit community based locally, over 30 years ago… read more

Mississippi

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Judy Renick

Bland, MO

March 24, 2013
Judy Renick. The most outstanding senior volunteer. Since Judy retired at 67c she has dedicated 3 to 4 full days a week for the CAS Projects Food Pantry in Belle, Mo. That is 75-100 hours a month. WOW! She is great at fund raising and has made several thousand dollars for the needs of the… read more

Missouri

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Bus Morris

Glendive, MT

March 26, 2013
Bus started as a volunteer at the Eastern Montana Veterans' Home (EMVH) when it opened in July 1996. At that time, his volunteer activities were mostly limited to serving as an escort to take residents to medical appointments since he was still employed full time. He increased his volunteer… read more

Montana

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Harold Sommer

Scottsbluff, NE

March 28, 2013
On Saturday mornings most people can be found sleeping in their beds or lounging around in their pajamas but this is not true for volunteer, Harold Sommer. Harold will be found at the Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff, NE going from elevator to elevator changing The Park Bench Cafeteria… read more

Nebraska

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Ginny Dugan

Fallon, NV

March 31, 2013
We were so blessed to have Ginny enter our lives when she retired after 21 years with the Western Nevada Community College. She heard about the Senior Center through another long lime volunteer Frances. Ginny Dugan not only volunteers to till a need within our community, but Ginny is… read more

Nevada

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Cy & Gordon Sherman

Concord, NH

March 31, 2013
Cy and Gordon Sherman are an amazing couple. They both volunteer in our ice cream shop, Cy helps produce the weekly newsletter, they both make up the Art committee that changes the art work on display in the hallways. They have initiated and lead groups with in the organization, Men's Groups,… read more

New Hampshire

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Emily Schuman

Wayne, NJ

March 10, 2013
Emily is the most giving person I know. She is active in our community on so many levels. She reads and prepares a one hour lecture presentations for two separate groups at the Wayne YMCA. One is the Adult Social Club, the other is called Lunch and Learn. She is a very popular speaker at our… read more

New Jersey

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Andrew Guinn

Santa rosa, NM

February 1, 2013
My grandfather started volunteering because of my grandmother. He would take her to help volunteer and she would put him to work. He would help anytime she needed help with heavy stuff. He would help seniors carry out their commodities especially if they were to heavy for them to carry. He would… read more

New Mexico

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Grace Bulger

Troy, NY

March 10, 2013
Grace Bulger is my 85-year old mother. She first started volunteering at Van Rensellaer Manor (a county nursing home) when my father (now deceased) entered and lived at the Manor for four years. My father started a rosary prayer group meeting for other patients, and my mother went down and… read more

New York

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Carolyn Pryor

Southport, NC

March 28, 2013
Salute to Senior Service Contest Entry I am nominating Carolyn Pryor of Southport, North Carolina for the Salute to Senior Service award. "I am the community organizer" is the way in which Carolyn describes herself when I interviewed her for this nomination. Carolyn deserves to be "saluted" not… read more

North Carolina

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Lois Bachynski

La Moure, ND

March 27, 2013
HOW-WHY-WHO Lois returned to LaMoure in 2001 from the West Coast and learned quilting from St. Ansgar's WELCA Ladies. She began pressing & cutting fabric for them and found it kept her happy and not bored ever. She began cutting fabrics for 2 other groups listed above, in 2007 with other women… read more

North Dakota

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Phil Wessendorf

Hamilton, OH

March 26, 2013
As with any nonprofit, the Alzheimer's Association of Greater Cincinnati thrives in large part thanks to our volunteers. We do not have the luxury of a hefty budget, but through the generosity of our unpaid staff, we are able to fight this horrible disease in the hopes that one day a cure,… read more

Ohio

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Martha King

Oklahoma City, OK

February 28, 2013
Martha King came to Infant Crisis Services searching for a volunteer opportunity and something close to her home. She remembered us from her days as a professional and applied to volunteer. She is a long time community servant. Martha was an Executive Director of Neighbor for Neighbor and referred… read more

Oklahoma

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Virginia Brown

Grants Pass, OR

March 29, 2013
On behalf of Josephine County Circuit Court, I would like to recognize Virginia Brown as one of our many volunteers whom we are fortunate enough to work with. When Virginia retired in 1985, she was afraid her "brain would turn into mush" so she has stayed busy volunteering throughout the community… read more

Oregon

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Darnell (Jeff) Pope

Plum, PA

March 26, 2013
Home Instead 's Salute to Senior Services The Plum Senior Community Center nominates Darnell (Jeff) Pope Several years ago, the Visiting Nurse Association came to the Senior Center and started a Stoke Support Group in partnership with our Center. A young stroke survivor from our area took charge… read more

Pennsylvania

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Gil Pemberton

Rumford, RI

March 30, 2013
Gil has been an extremely valuable and committed volunteer at the Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for almost two years. Gil is 80 years old and has been diagnosed with mild to moderate cognitive impairment and early stages of Alzheimer's. This limits the types of… read more

Rhode Island

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Harvey Lansing

Abbeville, SC

March 30, 2013
Harvey is a wonderful example of seniors and how valuable their skills and compassion for others are to their communities. When Harvey relocated to the south years ago his first mission was to become a part of his new community by serving others. His service to others continues as he administers to… read more

South Carolina

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Ruby Pattison

Mitchell, SD

March 15, 2013
Ruby is a very dedicated and caring volunteer that is always ready to help out. She volunteers at the Mitchell Middle School as the school nurse, where she helps numerous children. She also helps the 4-H kids with their projects. She helps a 3rd grader after school with their homework, because they… read more

South Dakota

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Opal Bohannon

Cookeville, TN

March 31, 2013
Ms. Opal got involved with the Center when her husband had a heart attack. He enjoyed coming to the center and she believed coming here helped him more than medicine, so she started volunteering. She enjoys volunteering because she likes meeting other people and learning about their personal lives.… read more

Tennessee

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Lee Downs

Mineral Wells, TX

February 8, 2013
Whether you're a World War II veteran, the surviving spouse and/or descendant, or your era was Korea, Dominican Republic, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Afghanistan, or Iraq, whether you saw combat or served in a support role, regardless of which branch you served, if you served this country in military… read more

Texas

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Joseph Ross

Salt Lake City, UT

March 28, 2013
Joe is an active member of the The American Legion and presently a life member, with 35 yrs of service. He held many offices while in CA on the local, state and national levels. He also volunteered many hours at the Long Beach Veterans Hospital. He became an active member at his local Senior Center… read more

Utah

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

"Major" Melvin McLaughlin

Randolph, VT

March 25, 2013
Every single day, now 95-year-old Maj. Melvin McLaughlin makes the short drive from his Randolph home to his local hospital, Gifford Medical Center, to lend more than a helping hand; he lends a helping heart. Pushing a walker, Major visits every hospital unit and Gifford's adjoining nursing home to… read more

Vermont

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Lyndell and Peggy Bryant

Vinton, VA

March 23, 2013
Over the past twenty years, Lyndell and Peggy Bryant have helped to build between 50 and 75 trails with the Roanoke Appalachian Trail Club and the Roanoke Valley Greenways. At 81 and 80 years old, they are still doing work that would be physically demanding for people half their ages--moving rocks… read more

Virginia

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Jessie Strauss

Seattle, WA

March 28, 2013
This is just one of many Habitat trips that Jessie has not only gone on, but has led! She is an amazing woman and always has a clown suit in her suitcase to put a smile on a child's face! Hello Friend! I am leading a Habitat for Humanity trip to El Salvador June 23 to July 4. As with all… read more

Washington

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Meta Foster

Martinsburg, WV

February 27, 2013
Meta Foster became a Hospice of the Panhandle volunteer over 26 years ago! Meta enjoys her work as a volunteer because she understands and believes in the mission of our organization. We serve patients in Berkeley, Jefferson, Morgan and Hampshire counties in WV that are living with a terminal… read more

West Virginia

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Phil Himmelfarb

Glendale, WI

March 29, 2013
Besides being chairperson of Hand in Hand, the fundraising arm of our volunteer organization, Phil also took on the task of revitalizing the Caring Partners program. Caring Partners is a specially trained group of carefully selected people who begin as friendly visitors in our volunteer program.… read more

Wisconsin

2013 Winner
U.S. Winner Announced June 30, 2013

Ada Pulos

Guernsey, WY

March 25, 2013
Ada is a person who just never stops giving of herself. She is active in so many community activities, it is hard to just mention two of the organizations that benefit from her help. Fifteen years ago our local VFW was in danger of being closed down. Membership was down, the building was in… read more

Wyoming

2013 Winner