United Way Of Hancock County Names Volunteer Of The Year

Volunteers United has named Beth Reed its 2022 Jeri Bjorling Distinguished Volunteer of the Year for her tremendous volunteerism supporting United Way of Hancock County and the community.

At UWHC, Reed serves at the highest level as a Volunteer Ambassador, meaning she meets monthly as a member of the Volunteers United Committee, helps plan and host volunteer events, and advocates for the United Way.

Reed will be honored for her service at United Way of Hancock County’s Annual Meeting on March 23. Her name and photo will be added to a plaque at the UWHC office, and her story appears in the 2022 UWHC Annual Report and on the UWHC website.

“Beth has been an amazing asset to the United Way and our Volunteer Center, Volunteers United,” said Angela DeBoskey, CEO of UWHC.

“Through the years, her level of involvement has steadily increased, to the point that she is an integral reason – along with a handful of other advanced volunteers – that we have been able to start our Volunteer Ambassador program. I know that if we need anything, Beth is there for us, and if she can’t come that day, she will help find someone who can.”

Along with her service as an Ambassador, Beth steps in when urgent needs at UWHC arise – making calls when the VITA program had to shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic, stuffing campaign mailers and recruiting more volunteers to help, writing campaign thank-you notes even with a broken foot, updating the No Wrong Door contact list, (No Wrong Door is a network of community resources), serving on the United Way’s grant review committee, and leading students for a litter pickup project.

Beth feels a calling to volunteer and says it brings her joy.

“It gives my life meaning,” Beth said.

“I feel like I live a blessed life, and to whom much is given much is expected. It is my joy to meet the expectation.”

(story and pic courtesy of the United Way)