Local volunteers recognized for contributions

By PAMELA BRUST

pbrust@newsandsentinel.com

PARKERSBURG - Volunteers and volunteer agency officials from throughout the area gathered Tuesday to recognize the tireless contribution of more than 15,000 service hours donated by volunteers.

The volunteers were honored during the annual recognition breakfast, which was sponsored by the Volunteer Action Center and funded through the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation, held in conjunction with National Volunteer Month.

"More than $300,000 worth of services were contributed by these volunteers. That's amazing when you think about it. We have people here today from all over the area, Parkersburg, Marietta, Roane County, St. Marys, Calhoun County. We are here to celebrate these individuals and what they've done for their community," said Wendy Tuck, VAC director.

Tuck said there are many reasons people volunteer.

"I think some just have a great desire to give back to their communities. Some feel they were blessed at some time in their lives and want to pass that on. Some just enjoy a job well done, when they can volunteer, they take a sense of pride and accomplishment in what they've done, especially when it's made a difference in someone's life," Tuck said.

Thirty individuals were recognized during the ceremony Tuesday for earning the Presidential Volunteer Service Award, including Katelyn Farr who earned the Young Adults Award; Esther Carroll, of New Era One Room School for the Adults Gold Award, for contributing more than 500 service hours. The Vienna Volunteer Fire Department, Michael Brookover, Steve Scholl, Grace Starcher, Genevieve Jones, Kenneth Bush, Tim Woolard and Brandon Holbert, all earned the Silver Award for contributing up to 499 hours. Twenty individuals received the Adult Bronze Award, and Patricia Shopene was recognized for the Lifetime achievement award, for contributing more than 10,000 hours of volunteer time.

Shopene of Parkersburg said her love of reading drew her to service at the library.

"I've volunteered at the library for 11 years in the Blind and Handicapped department. The program offers free machines and tapes of books in any category you would be interested in reading. I was just looking for a place to volunteer some time. Serving these individuals who may be socially isolated, or were unable to hold a book, it opens up a whole world for them. It's just been a wonderful opportunity for me," Shopene said.

Marilee Chinnici-Zuercher, president and chief executive officer of First Link of Columbus and the featured speaker for Tuesday's event, said she used to go with her mother when she went to volunteer activities.

"I started volunteering at the age of 12. I was inspired to volunteer as a candystriper at the local hospital," she said, adding she later reorganized the hospital volunteer opportunitites to get more youth involved.

She recommended if you volunteer consider causes you are interested, passionate about, research agencies involved in those areas, don't overcomit, prepare to go through an interview/application process, especially if working with children, consider what skills you can and want to offer.

"If we want to change something, make our community a better place, it's our responsibility to get engaged," Zuercher told those attending the volunteer recognization Tuesday.