Nelson Mitchell receives award for volunteering
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on April 17, 2015 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/BECKY BARCLAY
Nelson Mitchell holds the 2015 Governor's Service Award that he was given Thursday during a luncheon at WAGES. He volunteers with Meals On Wheels and has volunteered as a leader in the Boy Scouts.
As Nelson Mitchell was being wheeled into surgery for a liver transplant, he prayed for God to give him just five more years -- long enough to see his son get married and see a grandchild.
"It had to be for a reason," Mitchell said Thursday -- 24 years after the transplant -- during a luncheon at WAGES.
"So I've tried to make good on these 24 years."
And he has -- by volunteering with WAGES Meals on Wheels, Boy Scouts, Wayne Community Concerts and his church.
It garnered the 75-year-old the 2015 Governor's Volunteer Service Award, which was presented to Mitchell at the luncheon Thursday.
"When I heard my name called for the award, it was a total surprise," he said. "I don't know if I deserve it. There's a lot of people who've done a lot more than I have."
Mitchell started helping deliver Meals on Wheels with his church, New Hope Friends, seven years ago.
When the former coordinator of volunteers at his church became ill, Mitchell agreed to take the job.
"It just seemed like the thing to do," he said.
Now he coordinates the volunteers who deliver meals five days a week, and occasionally he substitutes for them when needed.
"Delivering meals really lifts me up," Mitchell said. "Most of these people are shut-ins, and the spirit they have about themselves is something. One woman is in a wheelchair and has a bad arm. But she'll say, 'The good Lord's looking after me' and 'Have a blessed day" -- things like that.
"And here I am, able to get out and go around, and she's confined to that little old house she lives in. The others make comments like that, too."
Mitchell also worked with the Boy Scouts for 20 years as an assistant scoutmaster and then scoutmaster.
"The highlights of all of it combined was when I took them on backpacking trips in the North Carolina mountains," he said.
"They would learn to appreciate things like clean water. They had to have water to clean up and cook meals and drink. And they had to find water because they couldn't carry that much water. That made me feel like I was doing something."
Mitchell had to retire from his post when camping became to strenuous for him due to failing health.
Mitchell also does whatever he can for his church.
"I've written some plays for the church, including one coming up this month," he said. "I help out in other ways too. I taught Sunday school for years."
In addition, Mitchell also served as treasurer of Wayne County Concerts for 10 years.
"The community's done a lot for me," he said. "It's sort of payback in a small way. I do it because I enjoy it. And I feel very, very honored to get the award."