Volunteerism: One of county's greatest resources is its people

Several people took home awards this week for the service they have given to their county as volunteers.

But although the honorees were certainly very deserving of the honors they received, all of them pointed out that they were just some of the many people who give of their time to help local organizations around the county.

In fact, local officials estimated that the work, love and care donated by local volunteers could be measured at more than a million dollars.

And that is why those who give so much to this county -- and to people they often do not know personally -- are such a valuable resource.

So it seems entirely appropriate that they should not only have their own luncheon to honor them each year, but also hear a "thank you" from the community they serve.

So, to all those who give when they have busy lives themselves and for those who care about people and donate their time to them, thank you for all you do.

And a special thank you, too, to Barbara Stiles -- the director of RSVP, who will be retiring this year. Mrs. Stiles would never take the credit or allow the attention to be diverted from the volunteers, but she is the reason this county has such a vibrant volunteer program. She has donated hours of time and hard work and is known for her "can-do" sunny attitude -- and her determination to make a difference.

She will be missed -- and her shoes very hard to fill.

Published in Editorials on April 20, 2011 10:51 AM