The recipient of the George C. Meck Volunteer of the Year Award dedicated more than 1,200 hours to STEP Office of Aging at the Loyalsock-Montoursville Senior Community Center.
Like husband, like wife - Patricia Nau received the award for volunteering 1,232 hours from March 2011 to February 2012, just a year after her husband, Thomas, won.
The award goes to the person who spent the most hours volunteering, but has not already won the award, said Cindy Simcox, manager and coordinator for STEP Office of Aging. Volunteers only qualify to receive it once.
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ALYSSA?MURPHY/Sun-Gazette
Cindy Simcox, stage, reads off the George C. Meck Volunteer of the Year award for Patricia Nau, right. Carolyn W. Bullock, middle, presented the award to Nau.
Nau said she had no idea she was going to win the award, as she passed the award around to those seated near her.
Almost 200 volunteers who dedicated their time to the various programs for the organization were honored at a banquet Thursday afternoon in the Messiah Senior Center, 324 Howard St., South Williamsport.
"They worked very hard throughout the year," Simcox said.
The volunteers who dedicated the most hours, starting at 85 hours and continuing through 1,200 hours, received certifications with how many hours they volunteered. Those celebrating milestones of years served - five, 10, 15, 20 and then every year following 20 - also received certifications of appreciation.
The programs the volunteers offer their services include a variety, dedicated to helping the elderly.
Some volunteers delivered meals on wheels to homebound consumers. Others assisted with senior center activities. Some led exercise activities, such as Tai Chi and soon to include a new noodle program and Zumba. Once a year, volunteers go to the senior centers to help people file their AARP taxes. Still others advocate for seniors through the ombudsmen program or help them with Medicare concerns through the Apprise Health Insurance Counseling program, Simcox said.
Concluding the award ceremony and the dinner, center managers from the six senior centers throughout Lycoming and Clinton counties put on a skit that they wrote themselves.
"We tried having other kinds of entertainment and (the volunteers preferred) us making fools of ourselves," Simcox said. "I love doing it."
This year's skit involved a deep Southern family asking each other what they did that day with the senior center, including Junior who crashed the Meals on Wheels van in a ditch and did not want the food to spoil, so "he" ate all of the meals in 10 minutes.
