By BRAD GASKINS / Staff Writer

CALERA – Between the three of them, they’ve logged more than 51,000 volunteer hours across Shelby County.

Mildred Baldwin, Cecil W. Lawley and Mary Ross were honored Nov. 30 for their volunteer efforts as the recipients of the Spirit Award at Shelby County RSVP’s annual awards banquet at Rolling Hills.

It was the first year the spirit awards have been given.

Baldwin has logged 6,000 volunteer hours, Lawley 16,500 hours and Ross 28,500 hours.

So far this year, the Shelby County RSVP program has logged more than 224,000 volunteer hours, according to RSVP coordinator Marvin Copes.

RSVP stands for Retired Seniors Volunteer Program. Since Jan. 1, 2000, the program has provided more than a million volunteer hours to the county.

“We’re now over $27 million in value that it has given to the citizens of Shelby County,” Copes said.

The number of volunteer hours continues to increase each year.

In 2009, volunteers logged 156,000 hours. In 2010, volunteers logged 218,000.

“Without you, we wouldn’t be doing this,” Copes told the volunteers, who enjoyed lunch before the awards presentation.

Ida Mae Horton received a 30-year service pin. Ruth Boothe, Lawley, Willis Moore and Talullah Jane Winslett received 20-year service pins. Joseph Graffo, Shirley Harrison, Durene Herron, Patricia Ann Phillips, Barbara Ann Readal and Eunice Stanger received 15-year service pins.

In addition, 10-year service pins were presented to 30 volunteers, and 5-year service pins were presented to 40 volunteers.