Ten senior citizens from Contra Costa County were recipients of the 7th Annual Mary Shockley Memorial Award For Outstanding Service on Tuesday, May 26th. Among the honorees were Wendy Levich with Lamorinda Transportation, Mary Miller at the Lafayette Senior Center and Yolande Rowe from Moraga Movers who were honored for their work with their peers and communities at the ceremony and luncheon. The event promoting the crucial volunteerism of seniors was held at the Pleasant Hill Community Center and include a keynote speech, "Building Community through Volunteerism: International Perspectives on Senior Activism and Involvement," delivered by Dr. Mary McCall of Saint Mary's College. The Central Contra Costa County Senior Coalition and Pleasant Hill Senior Center sponsor the annual awards to highlight the vital contributions that senior volunteers make to society.
Excerpts from the nominations:
Wendy Levich, Lamorinda Transportation
Wendy Levich volunteers for the Lamorinda Spirit Van, driving Lafayette seniors on Wednesday errands in Lafayette. When asked how she came to volunteer for us, she said she always like doing a challenging job that others might hesitate to take on and enjoys working with seniors.
From our passengers: "About Wendy...Shopping on Wednesday is always fun. We accomplish more than I think possible in such a pleasant and fun way. She is such a delightful person and takes such good care of us. We try not to let her carry everything, but she lugs all of our packages anyway.
Mary Miller, Lafayette Senior Center
In the Lafayette Senior Center, Mary Miller, has exhibited fervor in support of all seniors in a multitude of directions. She has served as a member of the Lafayette Senior Commission for five years, is currently a member of the Lafayette Senior Housing Task Force, the Senior Coalition, and the Contra Costa for Every Generation. She is the Historian for the Friends of the Lafayette Library and the past board member of the Diablo Valley league of Women Voters. We love Mary's Irish twinkle, her tendency to remind us calmly of our core intent when the conversation heats up, and the roll up sleeves attitude she displays however tiring her day has been.
Yolande Rowe, Moraga Movers
Yolande Rowe has been a key member of the Moraga Hacienda Seniors for many years as well as president several times. In 2007 she approved a subcommittee to plan the organization's future. This decision led to a complete revitalization accompanied by a dramatic growth from 200 to well over 350 members. Part of the allure for new members was the name change to Moraga Movers. She is presently the liaison to Saint Mary's College where our monthly lunches and dinners are held. Yolande epitomizes giving and service as she continues her pivotal role.
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA