LIVONIA — Mabel Treadwell of Leicester insisted she didn’t know a thing about being the guest of honor at a volunteer recognition luncheon for Catholic Charities of Livingston County until she saw her name in the program.
It’s quite a feat to keep anything about CCLC a secret from Treadwell, who has volunteered about 5,000 hours with the organization since 1992, far outpacing any other volunteer.
Through the deft work of her daughter, Linda Richards, the director of the CCLC Connections program, Treadwell found out just before the April luncheon, which was held at Camp Stella Maris in Livonia.
The event honored 24 volunteers, including Treadwell, who received the President’s Volunteer Service Award for dedicating at least two years or 4,000 hours over the course of their lifetime to serving others. Treadwell received a standing ovation in addition to the award.
“Time is precious, and you share yours to help the poor and needy in our community, and we appreciate that,” said Joseph DiMino, executive director of CCLC.
Livingston County Administrator Nick Mazza presented a proclamation declaring April 15-21 as National Volunteer Week in Livingston County.
“As we honor these volunteers, we are bringing forth a new generation of volunteers,” Mazza said.
For years, Treadwell has been volunteering for a variety of organizations for the sole purpose of helping others, said Wes Kinnison, supervisor of the Town of Geneseo.
“Mabel doesn’t do anything for awards or recognition or a pat on the back,” Kinnison said. “She does it because it’s the right thing to do.”
Treadwell has helped organize Leicester’s interfaith CROP Walk for years, organizes a Christmas program each year, worked on the CCLC’s social-ministry committee, helped plan the annual dinner for the organization and has worked on CCLC’s annual golf tournament. She also has worked on its Eat for Heat program, volunteered with parish appeals and volunteers through the Connections program, among other roles.
“I truly feel that God wants me to do this work,” Treadwell said.
Treadwell, the social-ministry coordinator for St. Luke the Evangelist Parish, said she believes in teaching her young grandchildren to volunteer. She said she couldn’t have ever volunteered without lots of patience from her spouse and children.
Treadwell is just one of many volunteers with the organization.
Jean Hamilton, a Faith in Action volunteer from Hemlock, said after she retired in 2002, she completed all of her projects, so she answered a newspaper ad and began volunteering to help an 82-year-old and an 86-year-old do gardening and housework.
“It gives me such an inner satisfaction to help them do these things,” Hamilton said.
Some said they enjoy the one-on-one relationship from volunteering. For example, Bill Hoppough of Hemlock, who retired from Eastman Kodak Co. in 1998, helps out an 85-year-old gentleman who has macular degeneration and needs someone to help him with light housekeeping and yardwork. Though the two lived not far from each other, they had never met.
“He’s become a good friend,” said Hoppough, who attends a Methodist church where he learned about the volunteer opportunity.
Several volunteers received a silver award for giving more than 250 hours of service in the past year, including Betty Allen, Laurie Farraro, Lynda Hally, Marcia Palermo and Denise Swezey. Bronze award honorees, who gave more than 100 hours of volunteer service in the past year, were Carol Bauman, Miranda Conway, Donna Cross, Karen Emerton, Donna Flaherty, Helen Foster, William Goodburlet, Jean Hamilton, Joseph Kane, John Kiehle, Craig Lyman, Tim McMahon, Devin Richards, Joyce Schwarz, Steve Schwarz, Virginia Watson, Jim West and Cindy Wetherbee.
