FLEMING ISLAND —The 19th annual SilverLink Consulting Golden Years Gala, held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Wednesday, May 13, sought to honor four special seniors for their outstanding volunteer work in the community.
It was a morning of honor and celebration as each were given special recognition in front of an excited crowd in Sullivan’s Hall.
The event benefited the Shepherds Center of Orange Park – a nonprofit that provides education for older adults to improve overall quality of life. Its award-winning educational program, with more than 50 classes, focuses on health, wellness, art, information technology and history.
“The mission of the Shepherd’s Center is to inspire dynamic living among older adults through volunteerism, education and community connection,” said Executive Director Elizabeth Reed. “I say it’s fun ed.”
The event was emceed by the Way Free Medical Clinic Executive Director Andrea Crowder and SilverLink Consulting’s Michael Safi.
Attendees participated in a catered breakfast and a live and silent auction just before the coveted awards were announced. In total there were eight nominees who were judged and voted on by a panel of local volunteers.
Ultimately, Nancy Stokes was honored as Volunteer Woman of the Year, while Jay Heather was honored as Volunteer Man of the Year. Kris Lesak won the Shepherd’s Center Outstanding Service Award and Mary Cobb took home the ultimate Ernie Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award.
Lesak has been an active member of Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park for 15 years, serving as a volunteer and teaching a range of classes, including: Praying in Color, Fine Arts, Watercolor Painting and Inspirational Discussions.
“I really am flabbergasted to be getting this honor because I love teaching so much that I don’t even think of it as work. I love my classes,” she said.
Cobb has been a volunteer with Waste Not Want Not—an operation rescuing nearly 2 million pounds of food a year and serving 200,000 food insecure individuals—since its inception. In total, she has volunteered with the nonprofit for more than 7,200 hours.
Heather, who also volunteers at Waste Not Want Not, helps with his church and co-directs weekly building ramps for wheelchairs with James Boys. He’s also led a local mission service trip for more than 30 years. Although he wasn’t in attendance, his wife Darlene, a nominee for Volunteer Woman of the Year, accepted the honor on his behalf.
Stokes is a volunteer with Young Life Clay County—an organization focusing on youth will intellectual or developmental disabilities. She serves on the board that reaches more than 200 families in the county, as well as a special needs ministry reaching up to 30 families.
Reed said senior volunteers like these are a generation of high values, strong work ethic and generosity.
“We exist because of our wonderful seniors. Many who are here, as I said, as well as our 90 plus volunteers and our sponsors. This gala was created because of them and all those older adults who volunteer throughout the community.”