By BRIANA HARRIS / Staff Writer

PELHAM – The banquet hall at the Pelham Civic Complex was packed full Thursday, Dec. 1, for the Shelby County Retired Senior and Volunteer Program’s Volunteer Recognition Brunch and Awards Ceremony.

Storyteller Bruce Walker entertained the audience by telling comedic stories about growing up in the rural community of Walker’s Bend, which is located near Pell City.

Afterward, RSVP event coordinator Marvin Copes began the awards ceremony. Copes said 360 volunteers received awards. Groups that completed at least 10,000 hours and at least 5,000 hours of volunteering received special recognition and trophies.

Spirit Award plaques were given to nine volunteers who go above and beyond what is asked of them, Copes said. The Pea Ridge Senior Club received the Star Volunteer Station Award and Edwina Chappell received the Star Volunteer Award for completing 30,000 hours of volunteering.

Allison Boyd, president of the RSVP and SVS Advisory Council, said RSVP volunteers have completed 3.1 million hours of volunteering since Jan. 1, 2000. At a value of $20.35 per hour, that equates to a value of $63.2 million.

Shelby County manager Alex Dudchock thanked the volunteers for the their many hours of community service. RSVP currently has 1,147 volunteers and 99 active volunteer stations.

“Volunteerism in our country is waning, but what we’re now seeing is more seniors, when they retire, they’re seeking out opportunities to give back and help their communities,” Dudchock said. “That’s one of the many reasons the County Commission has been a financial supporter of RSVP.”

Pelham Mayor Gary Waters that is absolutely fitting to have the awards ceremony during the holiday season – a time of giving.

“You encourage me and I’m thankful for it,” Waters said.

Here are the 2016 RSVP awardees:

25 Years

Ruth Booth

Sudie Jarvis

 

20 Years

Joseph Graffo

Durene Herron

Mary Helen Hughes

Barbara Readal

Eunice Stagner

 

15 Years

Reeta Beecham

Barbre Everling

David Holden

Mary Holden

Jane Jones

Nina Kennemer

Rufus Kennemer

Tommie Lawley

Jean F. Lowe

Mary Jo Morrow

Margie Overton

Kathleen Parker

Shirley Rierson

Ester D Smith

Odell Smith

Thomas E. Smith

Daniel H Trammell

Shirley Trammell

Carrie Valerius

Dot Waldrop

Jean R. Williams

Zed Williams

 

10 Years

Jo Ina Alexander

Debbie Battles

Myra Beane

Lanie Burns

Carol Burrowbridge

Betty Coe

Peggy Crowson

Charlotte Dobbs

David Dobbs

Rose B. Ellis

Jeanette Franklin

Susanna Griffin

Daniel Harrell

Mary Hollingsworth

Sandra Hyde

Barbara Ingram

Beverly Leach

Lois Lucas

Helen F. Martin

Vicki McCallen

Gloria McFarland

Malcolm McFarland

Annette Nunnally

Rita Ray

Gary Ragsdale

Susan Ragsdale

Robert L. Readal

Bob Sutton

Sallie Sutton

Glenda Cairns Terrell

Estelle Thompson

Betty Yancy

 

5 Years

Odis Amason

Fred Andrews

Amy Arnold

Sarah Atchison

Bobby Averitt

Joann Averett

Kelli Baker

James Bales

Delores Bates

Edna Black

Tim Brasher

Frank Britt

Ellen Broderick

Jane M Brogdon

Mollie Brown

Joyce Calhoun

Dorothy Carlson

Jane Carpenter

Gale Carson

O.J. Carson

Betty Champagne

Gail Chavez

Shirley Church

June Collins

Michelle Creamer

Calvin Crocker

Annie Davis

Dorothy Davis

Maxine Davis

Claudia Deason

Dianne Dill

Sue Dooley

Carol Dotson

Ann Dunsmore

James Elliott

David Farrington

Georgiann Farrington

Adele Flowers

Dorothy Forrest

Sue Franklin

Betty Gant

Jeanette Gerald

Gary Glenn

Karen Glenn

Gladys Grear

Millie Groves

Elizabeth Harris

Mary Ann Haynes

Cathey Heffner

Harold Hill

Carrie Sue Hinds

Shirley Honeycutt

Don Hughes

Dorsey Ingram

Letha Johnson

Kathie Jones

Katherine Justice

Jo Lynn Kelton

Catherine Kessler

James Killingsworth

Barbara Kirker

Sharon Kleeschuttle

Nance Kohnen

Faye Knight

Margaret Knowles

Judith Kornowicz

Bud Kuester

Sheryl LaFontaine

Rosell Lee

Michelle Lieb

Ema Lindquist

John Lott

Sandra Lott

Tammy Lowery

Rosalyn Lucas

Mary Sue Ludwig

E.M. Duke Martin

Jean Ann May

William E. May

Douglas McCullough

Delores McGill

Vickie McKee

Judith McRae

Helen Meadows

Debra Medeiros

Yvonne Menger

Pat Miller

Edith Minor

Leila Mitchell

Anne Moore

Charlene Moore

Sandra Morgan

Wilma Morris

Jill Neely

Flora Oaks

Bill O’Dell

Richard A O’Neal

Walter Perkins

Constance Pettit

Duane Phillips

Ralph Phillips

Jane Phillips

Agnes Pool

Cathy Porterfield

Judith Prestridge

Jackie Pritchard

Marline Pugh

Lawson Richards

Edith Sanchez

Maximo Sanchez

Cheri Sanders

Donna Sanders

Betty Satterfield

Robbie Ann Schaffer

Kathy Sharich

Linda Simone

Betsy Simpson

Carol Sims

Gary W. Smith

Robbie Smith

Peggy Sprague

Susan Stivers

Catherine Taylor

Lillian Taylor

Jean Thigpen

Joyce Thompson

Joy Turner

Kate Vogel

Ellen Wade

Earl T. Waller

Carla Watkins

Elsa Wegel

Jo A. Weatherly

J.E. Weatherly

Janet Weiderhold

Ted Weiderhold

Barbara White

Barbara Williams

Elayne Williams

Linda Williams

Pauline Williams

Jerry D. Willis

Thomas Wilson

Dee Woodham

Jennifer Zimmerman

 

Lifetime – 4000+ Hours (Blue)

Acyenith Alexander

Barry Blount

Robbie Lynn Burks

Peggy Cannady

Edwina Chappell

Jim Choate

Michael Collins

Martha Luker Hales

Mary Louise Jones

William Kringel

Joe Myers

Elizabeth Savage

Dixie Lee Smith

Karen Stamps

 

5oo Hours (Gold)

Lynda Anderson

Bonnie Atchison

Eddie Beane

Charles Bevels

Sharon Boettler

Ginger Branson

Robert Brewer

Kathy Brooks

Kathryn Ann Brown

Essie Brownlee

Faye Butcher

Irene Butler

Jean Camp

Jane Carpenter

Rose Mae Chism

Colquitt “Coke” Clark

Mary E. Clark

Jane Cline

Patsy Colley

Michael Cooley

James Courtney

Sandra Craft

Pat Daughety

Dorothy Davis

Maxine Davis

Willie Donald

Harry Dorough

Niva Dorough

Arthur Drott

Barbara Duke

Ozelle Eaves

Sue Eddis

Williams Evans

Signa Ferguson

Ruth Forstman

Barbara Freeman

William Gualden

Nancy Gennari

Lisa George

Ivan Greene

Agnes Grice

Janet Pope Hails

Thomas Haynes

Jeanette Heatherly

Beth Hedrick

Dan Hedrick

Reba Hester

Harold Hill

Carrie Sue Hinds

Melba Honea

Nancy Hurst

Karen Kerr Jenson

Margret Joyner

Olivia Kalin

Connie Kelley

Brenda Kelly

Catherin Kessler

Carolyn Knowles

Charles Knowles

Ronald Koonce

Rosell Lee

Joyce Lewis

Ema Lindquist

Ina Lofton

Dixie Martin

Bill Meadows

Vicki McCallen

Charlotte McFarland

Jim McFarland

Yvonne Menger

Corinne Miller

Pat Miller

Leila Mitchell

Ann Moore

Dawson Moore

Grover Morgan

Jack Mundy

Nancy Norred

Donna O’Donnell

Mike O’Donnell

Robbie Palmer

Jerry Dean Pate

Jim Pearman

Judy Pearman

Lola Peoples

Ralph Phillips

Marilyn Pickett

Kay Ray

Randy Roberson

Shirley Robinson

Mack Royster, Jr.

Jack Sadler

Donna Sanders

Judith Ann Sawyer

Carol Schmidt

Diane Seales

Charles Shamburger

Donald Shirley

Patricia Ann Shirley

Barbara T. Smith

Dale Smith

Dora Smith

Gary Smith

Velma D. Smitherman

Rebecca Snow

Dorothy Stallworth

Beverly Stamps

Jeanette Thompson

Deborah Timmons

Mary Burke Traylor

Gloria S. Turner

Joanne Walden

Callie Waldrop

Gerald Waldrop

Nancy Waller

Tom Walton

Daisy Washington

Martha Wells

Barbara White

Carolyn White

Margaret Gay White

Robert White

Don Wood

Joyce Wood

 

Outstanding Station Award 10,000+ Hours

Alabaster Senior Center/Meals on Wheels

Blue Star Salute Foundation

Calera Senior Center

Columbiana United Methodist Church

Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve

Montevallo First Baptist Church

Pea Ridge Senior Club

Shelby Medical Center

Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery

 

Station Achievement Award 5-10,000 Hours

Bethlehem Baptist

Chelsea Citizen Observer Patrol – COP

Faith Missionary Baptist Church

First Presbyterian Church of Alabaster

Heart of Dixie Railroad museum

HERO

Historic Shelby Iron Works

Montevallo Homemakers & Community Leaders

St. Thomas The Apostle Catholic Church

Wilsonville United Methodist Church

 

Spirit Award

Esther Acre

Ruth Booth

Nancy Davis

Tommie Harrison

Faye Lacagonina

James Seagle

Bobby Joe Seales

Jean Schofield

John R. Walker

 

Star Station Award

Pea Ridge Senior Club

 

Star Volunteer Service Award

Edwina Chappell

 

35 Years of Volunteer Service Award

Mildred Baldwin

Ida Mae Horton

 

Volunteers with 20,000+ Hours of Service

Marry Ross

Glenn Nivens

John R. Walker