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Neighbors | Abby Slanker.Floyd and Dolores Welker were named 2019 AARP Volunteer of the Year. Shirley Griffin (left), president of Canfield AARP Chapter 3104, presented the Welkers with their honor at the chapter’s monthly meeting on May 6.
By ABBY SLANKER aslanker@vindy.com
Floyd and Dolores Welker, of North Lima, were named 2019 AARP Volunteer of the Year.
Shirley Griffin, president of Canfield AARP Chapter 3104, presented the Welkers with their honor at the chapter’s monthly meeting on May 6.
Griffin presented the Welkers with certificates and National AARP volunteer pins. Griffin also read a portion of a letter to the Welkers from the National AARP organization recognizing them as Volunteer of the Year and thanking them for all they good they have done in their community over the past year.
“In the fall of every year, everyone turns in how many hours they have donated over the past year. The Welkers had over 500 hours in the South Range food giveaway and other causes. In addition, they volunteer at their church, Paradise Church in Canfield,” Griffin said.
Floyd said volunteering is fun for them.
“It’s fun. We have also helped with disaster relief out of North Lima and I was a volunteer firefighter and EMT for 30 years. I don’t feel like we deserve this honor. It’s humbling. Volunteering is great for us and fun for us,” Floyd said.
Griffin said it is rare, and special, to have a couple volunteer together.
“It’s rare to have couple volunteer together. It is so special. We appreciate the fact that Floyd and Dolores are an active part of our chapter, and have been for years, and appreciate what they are doing for our group as well. Floyd has served on our Board of Directors many times,” Griffin said.
Dolores said she feels lucky to be able to volunteer.
“I feel lucky to be here and to be able to volunteer to help people,” Dolores said.
Floyd said they get to meet wonderful people while volunteering.
“This honor is really nice. We meet wonderful people while volunteering. Some of them have tears in their eyes as they are thanking us for helping them,” Floyd said.