American Red Cross 2009 Senior Volunteer Hero Award Winner, RSVP Volunteer Joan Bogan

Joan receiving the award from a representative from the Boilermakers Union in Piketon

Non-profits always wonder if their ads for promoting their services and recruiting new volunteers are very affective. One day at the end of February 2008 it became clear to us that the ad we placed in the SOPAA Program for the 2007-2008 performance season did in fact bring about at least one new volunteer.

This individual had recently moved to Scioto County to be closer to their family. Being a newly retired Baby Boomer the ad had enticed them to check out our program and see if there was truly a way of getting involved and help out the community, while meeting new friends. This individual’s resume was extensive and very diverse. Their RSVP application had reflected the same diverse interests. Her positive and friendly attitude towards life is one I would like to bottle and pass out on a daily basis.

Since July of 2008 this volunteer has donated 500 ¾ hours of service to 9 different organizations within Scioto County. She has made the statement that she would donate more of her time but she had to find a part-time job here to help over-ride her addiction to volunteerism! She approaches every volunteer opportunity with the same enthusiasm and gives them each her all.

It would be hard to say which one of these programs are closest and dearest to her heart but she donated over 15% or 77 hrs to our American Red Cross – Ohio River Valley Chapter! She has done numerous things with them including working blood banks, clerical, disaster relief, shelter, and working several fundraisers such as Disaster Blasters, Ribs on the River and most recently the 1st annual Wine Tasting. She understands the importance that the American Red Cross plays in our community and is happy to do all she can do for them and with them.

It is with great pride that RSVP of Scioto County nominates Joan Bogan for the 2009 Senior Volunteer Hero Award!!!

2009 Length of Service Award

Charlotte Smith, left, reciptient of the 2009 Length of Service Award, with Vicki Daily

This year’s award recipient has been a member of RSVP for 25 years. She is hard working, reliable, and dedicated to every aspect of her life. She is a type of person who is always there when you need her. Her dedication is inspiring and encouraging to those around her.

As a mother of four children and several grandchildren she has always been known as the care-giver to the people in her life. Never finding time to sit around, she has always worked, as well as took care of her children, husband and mother-in-law. Taking care of others is something that comes naturally to her and she holds a type of strength that defines her ability to hold the pieces together when things seem to be falling apart. When she first joined RSVP she was not only volunteering 2-3 days during the week, but she also was looking out for her 2 grandchildren 5 days a week.

She is someone you can always count on, and she doesn’t let very much of anything stand in her way. She can be found in the SOMC gift shop, where she has continuously volunteered since she became a volunteer. “As long as she can walk and get here, she will be here, even if we needed her extra days” said Janet Williams of SOMC.

Tonight we are honored to announce a “one of a kind” type of person, whose hard work and dedication to community, family, and friends truly deserves to be recognized, so with no further a due, we would like to congratulate our very own… Charlotte Smith for all of her hard work throughout the past 25 years, we are truly blessed to know such a great inspiration!

2008 Length of Service Award

This year our Length of Service Award goes a young lady who has given so much of herself to others you would think she has nothing left to give. It is quite the opposite with our volunteer. It has been recorded before that her family states “she never has time for herself because she’s giving it to others.” In her prime she was volunteering 4 out of 5 days a week.

Now, when I say “in her prime” I’m not talking about someone in her 50’s, 60’s or even 70’s. She didn’t even join RSVP until she was 78! As an RSVP volunteer she was one of the original RSVP volunteers trained as a BABES presenter, using puppets to teach 2nd graders about drug & alcohol prevention. She also tutored children in 2 elementary schools and helped them select and check out books in the library.

Her volunteer service interest was very diverse. She also loved to visit nursing homes. She would take magazines, slippers, or other gifts to the residents. She even went so far as to invite a group of them to her home for a tea, with a style show included. Her guests would choose an outfit to “model” and then get to keep the chosen outfit for themselves.

She couldn’t forget the lonely and neglected at home. She sat with a sick woman to allow the caregiver time to herself. She comforted battered women and children; washed and sorted clothes and other chores at the Shelter for Abused Women.

She was also willing to help other agencies associated with RSVP. She spent hours answering the phone at Goodwill. She provided tourist information at the Visitor’s Caboose. Of course, we can’t leave out her weekly service to OVAL (Scioto Radio Reading) for the visually impaired.

The past year has found her volunteer service limited to calling bingo at Crystal Care. She keeps apologizing to me for her inability to do more for us. She also holds the honor of our oldest volunteer at 102!! She has been a true friend to RSVP and all those she has come in contact with and it gives me great pleasure to present the 2008 Length of Service Award to Mildred “Mid” Rader.

2007 Length of Service Award

Mother Elsie Potts

This year’s award recipient is celebrating her 25th year of volunteering through RSVP. She came on board in October of 1982 and hasn’t slowed down since.

The hungry, needy and home-bound in our community can thank this remarkable lady for her efforts to stop hunger in our area. She began her volunteer experience through the Community Action Organization as a nutritional aide, and has also prepared and served meals for the Counseling Center. She has been a volunteer for the Meals on Wheels Program and her church food pantry, where she was awarded this year for her faithfulness.

Our volunteer has served on the auxiliary board for the Portsmouth Receiving Hospital and Hempstead Manor. She has given freely of her time by sitting with the sick and elderly, freeing their family members to run errands or take a break.

The Salvation Army has been blessed to see her smiling face and willing hands during their Christmas season and their community meals.

A truly caring volunteer would transport an elderly lady who could no longer drive to the nursing home to visit with her husband, and that’s exactly what our volunteer did. She also transported other seniors to doctor appointments.

The Homeless Shelter has been a recipient of the willingness of our volunteer to contribute to her community. She helped with many miscellaneous tasks when needed.

She is a member of Church Women United, and through that organization volunteers at the American Red Cross blood drives.

If you were in a nursing home you would be thankful for those who take time out of their day to brighten yours. Our award recipient does just that. Along with her church, she visits and sings to the residents of Hempstead Manor and Hill View Healthcare.

At Christmas time you can find her volunteering at Shawnee Mental Health. “She is always faithful and would even crawl to the Christmas store if she had to,” said pal Andrea Young.

She is the proud mother of 3 children and several grandchildren, and is a “Church Mother” at Pleasant Green Baptist Church.

In 1986 she was awarded the Rotary Above Self Award and tonight she will be honored with the 2007 RSVP Length of Service Award. She is affectionately known as “Mother Elsie” to those in her circle of love, and it is with much love and respect that we congratulate Mother Elsie Potts for her great accomplishment and dedication to the residents of Scioto County

2007 Outstanding Senior Citizen

The 2007 Outstanding Senior Citizen’s services to the community are numerous. Her volunteer work is diverse, and she serves all age groups. For the elderly, she is a welcome sight at the USSA Senior Center. You can find her in the kitchen five days a week preparing and distributing meals to our area seniors. “She always gives service with a smile. Joann is kind, calm and sweet. She is here every day that we are open. She is the most faithful, dedicated volunteer I’ve ever encountered,” said Renee Ellis, Director of the USSA Senior Center.

Volunteering for those 18 and over, she can be found every month at the American Red Cross blood drive. Shelby Powell, site coordinator spoke very highly of Joann, saying, “Joann is very quiet and sincere. She is always faithful to attend and works the canteen area, handing out food to our blood donors. She hardly ever sits down.”

For the young, Joann can be found in the classrooms at Stanton Elementary School. She helps the children improve their reading skills by enabling them to read to her. And did I mention that Joann walks to this volunteer site. This may not be a big deal to some, but considering the fact that Joann has had one foot amputated makes her efforts even more admirable.

Joann has even helped out the pre-school children by volunteering at a benefit held by the Head Start.

She has been a member of RSVP since 1996 and has logged nearly 7,200 volunteer hours.

RSVP of Scioto County is honored to recognize our 2006 Length of Service award winner, Mr. Jacob “Jake” Frowine.

Every year RSVP honors the individual who has volunteered continuously for the longest period of time. This year’s award winner is certainly no stranger to volunteering.

Our honoree was born in Minford, Ohio where he resided for 56 years before moving to Portsmouth. He graduated from Minford High School in 1927, the Scioto County Normal School in 1928, and began teaching in a one room school that housed all 8 grades. He received a B.S. in education from Wilmington College and a Masters degree from Marshall University. He has been an exemplary educator in Scioto County, having taught in the grade school and high school level. He was also a high school principal and administrator, a college professor at Ohio University Portsmouth Branch and Shawnee State University until 1996.

Our “shining star” also has the claim to fame as being Scioto County’s first licensed National Guidance Counselor.

Our country was blessed by his 2 years of service in the U.S. Army during WW II.

Awards and recognitions are no stranger to our honoree. He has been the recipient of many civic service awards including: Ohio Education Award, Ohio Retired Teachers, induction into the Minford Hall of Fame, and also the Kiwanis “Service Above Self” award. He is very proud to have been named the Ohio Elk of the Year.

He is a member of the Ohio Education Association, Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity, and Ohio Retired Teacher’s Assoc. He has been a Mason for 67 years.

Organizations he belongs to include: Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite-Valley of Cincinnati, American Legion Post 23, and the Elks. He is a charter member of the Lions organization and the Minford American Legion.

For 60 years our award recipient has been a Sunday School teacher and board member of the Minford Methodist and the Manly United Methodist Churches. He is a life member of SOMC and has served on the hospital auxiliary board. He is a resident of Hill View Retirement Community and serves on their board of directors.

He joined RSVP in 1982 and has been volunteering for the Meals on Wheels program ever since. He has volunteered at the Salvation Army food basket sign-ups, been an usher at the Vern Riffe Center for the Arts, helped RSVP with the newsletter and the VITA program, helped with a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation, and read to the blind through Sc. Co. Radio Reading.

Although our award recipient is approaching 98 years young, you can find him playing cards, fishing, hunting or swinging the clubs on the local golf courses. He still does his own driving and enjoys spending time with his wife, June, whom he married 6 years ago.