RSVP recognizes area volunteers
By Catharin Shepard
Published in News on April 21, 2010 1:46 PM
News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Lifetime Volunteer Award recipient Donald Nopers speaks at the National Volunteer Week celebration.
News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Lifetime Volunteer Award recipient Don Wooten accepts his award Tuesday.
They couldn't cash the giant cardboard check for $967,144 RSVP Director Barbara Stiles presented to Goldsboro Mayor Al King representing the monetary value of the work retired and senior volunteers gave to the city and county in 2009, but the appreciation for all they do for the community was something the volunteers could take to the bank.
Community leaders and local officials gathered Tuesday at O'Berry Center to honor the dedication of the more than 150 RSVP volunteers who performed 7,760 hours of service to Goldsboro and Wayne County in 2009.
"It's just amazing that you're motivated to do that for other people," Mrs. Stiles said.
The mayor read a proclamation for National Volunteer Week, April 18-24, thanking the volunteers.
"Volunteers provide something very special. They contribute so much to our community and its ability to improve the quality of life for its citizens," King said.
RSVP volunteers Donald Nobers and Don Wooten received the 2010 Lifetime Award from the President's Volunteer Service Awards. The national recognition is a special honor for individuals who have dedicated more than 4,000 of hours of service to their community during their lifetime.
Volunteers Connie Turnage and Larry W. Walls also received the Lifetime Award but could not be present at the ceremony.
The winners will receive a special certificate, pin and letter from the president. The four new winners join previous RSVP recipients Ted Ivy, Alma Lewis, Dora Perry, Thelma Walls and the members of the Goldsboro Woman's Club.
Lifetime Award honoree Nobers likely put in much more than 4,000 hours of service over his 10 years of active volunteering with Habitat for Humanity, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and hospice, Mrs. Stiles said. Nobers is also a member of the RSVP board.
"He's been a great leader and guide for us as we go along," Mrs. Stiles said.
Wooten, an active member of the Disabled American Veterans, has helped fulfill more than 2,000 claims for veterans and their families during his years of working with the program. The Disabled American Veterans program provides assistance to disabled veterans and their families facing times of hardship.
The ceremony also recognized dozens of Bronze Award volunteers who gave between 100-174 hours of service, Silver Award winners who gave 175-249 hours and Gold Award winners gave 250-3,999 hours of the time to help others.
State senator Don Davis and Sue Guy, director of human resources for the county, read proclamations from the state and Wayne County recognizing the value of volunteers. Davis also praised the volunteers who have given of themselves, in time, money or expertise, to make RSVP so successful.
"There is no substitute for the work that our volunteers are doing day in and day out," he said.
Featured speaker Chuck Waller, executive director of the Wayne, Wilson and Greene County chapter of the American Red Cross, praised the RSVP members for their faith, dedication to integrity and willingness to use their aptitude for the betterment of others.
"Few things in this life speak as loud as doing the right thing -- doing the right thing when it's inconvenient, doing the right thing when it's hard, doing the right thing when no one is looking," he said.
RSVP extended thanks to the many community partners who helped to make the ceremony and the program itself a success for Wayne County. Remarks were also presented by O'Berry Center Interim Assistant Director J. Scott McConnaughey and Wayne Community College President Dr. Kay Albertson.