Carol Bowers, Volunteer Services Manager
Neighbors Who Care honored 250 volunteers at our annual Volunteer Recognition Brunch. This year our theme was Moving Ahead in Style. We enjoyed an elegant mid-day meal and a lovely fashion show presented by Bon Worth and our very fashionable volunteers. More than 30 individuals were recognized by the city of Chandler and given the bronze award from the Points of Light for their service of over 100 hours as a NWC Volunteer. Five received a silver award for service over 250 volunteer hours. Neighbors Who Care honored Ron Chase, Joel Goldman and Don Presten with our annual Ambassador Award for actively supporting the mission spirit of Neighbors Who Care. Jim Wood, Marcie Noble, Dennis Mulcahy, and Bob Neely receive the Above and Beyond Award, awarded to individuals who have gone a little further to help those we serve. Irene Johnson, Verna Mahnke and Leonard White received the Super Star Service Award for driving over 2000 miles in 2015. And, Roberta Wise received her 20 year pin.
NWC serves individuals who live in a 32 square mile area of south Chandler and Greater Sun Lakes. The volunteers who drive our clients to doctor appointments and grocery shopping; to the bank and to hair dresser appointments; go to their homes to perform minor repairs or balance check books; drive more than 138,000 miles each year. When asked why they want to volunteer for Neighbors Who Care I hear much the same thing from them, “I want to give back”; “I am doing this in honor of my mother, I wish there would have been a service like this when my brother and I were caring for her.” “I have been in law enforcement my whole career and this is much like what I did in my community, helping people and seeing to their safety.” “You do such wonderful things for people; I want to be part of this.”
The most interesting people serve our clients; a trial judge, a contractor, an airline pilot, a police officer, a veterinarian, a professor, a doctor, a nurse; a principal, a lawyer, a teacher, a realtor, a fleet manager, a student, a homemaker; an IT specialist, a corporate executive, a professional football player and the list continues. All want to volunteer their time to serve with us. There are not enough words to say thank you, not enough banquets or certificates or pins. For the volunteers and us who train and encourage, then serve with them it is the warmth we feel in our hearts, the satisfaction we feel at the end of a long drive, or the memory we have in our head of the person we shared our time knowing he or she will be that much safer and well at the end of the day is our reward. We can’t help but smile.
To be a member of the Olympian team of volunteers at Neighbors Who Care, call us at 480-895-7133; www.neighborswhocare.com.