May 1 was Volunteer Appreciation Day at Keystone Community Services. Together with our volunteers, we celebrated their commitment to Keystone and to supporting people in our community. We gathered for a luncheon and awards presentation to recognize the amazing things that volunteers make possible at Keystone. In 2018, volunteers contributed 34,800 hours to Keystone, supporting our neighbors in so many ways.
Thank you to the generous sponsors who made our Volunteer Appreciation Day possible: Regions Hospital, The University of St. Thomas’ Center for the Common Good, TopLine Federal Credit Union, and BankCherokee.
It is our tradition on our Volunteer Appreciation Day to also present the Above and Beyond Volunteer Awards. This year the award was presented to three volunteers and this year’s award recipients were Mark Wolski, Tim Murphy, and Scott Murphey. These volunteers have gone above and beyond in their volunteer service at Keystone. We invite you to read more about these amazing volunteer award recipients.
Mark Wolski – Above and Beyond Volunteer Award Recipient for the Keystone Senior Services Team
Mark Wolski has been a dedicated volunteer in the Keystone Meals on Wheels program for nearly 18 years. Mark’s whole family has a tradition of supporting Meals on Wheels – his father volunteered for Meals on Wheels, and his adult son delivers meals with us as well. Mark is always ready to lend a hand. He will deliver from both Merriam Park and West 7th, he’ll deliver in the rain, the snow, and the extreme cold, and every single time, he’ll do it with a smile. Even if we call him last minute, Mark will respond with “Sure, what time do you need me?” His dedication, kindness, and concern for our program participants’ well-being never waver. Over the course of his many years of volunteer engagement with Keystone, he has contributed over 2,000 hours of service! And along the way, he has made a positive impact on the lives of SO many seniors, simply by bringing them a warm meal and sincerely telling them that he hopes they have a nice day.
Tim Murphy – Above and Beyond Volunteer Award Winner for the Keystone Youth Services Team
Tim Murphy has given exemplary service to the Keystone Community Kids youth program. He has been volunteering in the Community Kids program for several years and has demonstrated an interest in working with elementary age kids and constantly strives to meet their needs. While there are many volunteers who are interested in supporting kids with their academic needs like reading, math, and homework help, Tim also appreciates the social and emotional needs of kids who have already had six hours of school. He takes time to play with the kids, socializing with them, making them laugh, and acting as a mentor to them. When students express an interest in checking out books from the library, he is eager to walk them there. When the staff are preparing for snack, Tim jumps up to help. All of the students in our classroom look forward to working with him and have grown to rely on him as a resource for reading and homework help, as well as all the other fun stuff we get to do. Tim is enthusiastic, warm and is dedicated to our program and the young people who participate.
Scott Murphey – Above and Beyond Volunteer Award Winner for the Keystone Basic Needs Team
While Scott primarily volunteers on the Keystone Foodmobile, he has also jumped in to take volunteer shifts at each of our three food shelf sites too. He is flexible and adapts quickly to each site’s quirks and needs, and integrates with the other volunteers. He is willing to take on any projects, and completes it with 100% commitment – he does everything from organizing the back-storage area, cleaning the coffee maker, breaking down cardboard outside for so long that the other volunteers forget he’s still there. Scott will help with any task, and he does it well. On the Foodmobile, Scott is as efficient as they come. He easily works with anyone, supports staff in any way he can, and when there is even a 30 second break in between participants, he is immediately busy finding boxes to break down, things to restock, or bags to carry for someone else. Scott is deeply committed to helping people in our community and will find any way he can to support our participants, from helping them navigate paperwork that seems confusing to reassuring them about the service they will receive. In conclusion, Scott is a great man with an enormously kind heart, and he pours all of it into helping the participants of Keystone, no matter what location or what task he’s asked to help with.
