My best friend Carol M. is the recipient of the National Jefferson Award for community service. Her story was on WAOW Channel 9
Wausau ,Wis. with her picture. I nominated her for this award as well as writing a story , "My Silent Angel" for the Portage County Gazette , Stevens Point , Wis. July 29,2012. In my story , I wrote that Carol was "an angel among us".Carol worked on our Lincoln Center Senior Center plant sale for aleast 8 years and had the planting at her "farm" every year. Even today Carol has devoted plots of land in her garden for next spring's sale.Most of the plants were grown and donated by Carol.Because of Carol's charitable work the center made most of their profits to go on.Besides the plant sale each year , Carol was in charge of the January and June rummage sales.Carol quietly never sought recognition. On Aug 10, 2012, Carol passed peacefully on to heaven. Carol was truly a "silent angel " here on earth.Carol's impact of caring , changed our community of Stevens Point. Because of this caring , it has influenced her grand daughter, Rochelle Jakubek , a freshmen at the U. of Wis. Madison to do volunteer work. I was contacted by Rochelle to do a recommendation for her to do volunteer work. How could I begin to say what a impact Carol's life has been on all of us. The value of caring for others is important to Carol's family and is being carried on from generation to generation. Carol's days as the "silent angel " will never be forgotten. And how do I know that Carol was a "silent angel"? Well she volunteered in my kindergarten classroom and was known as Grandma Carol. Carol read with the kindergarteners and brought treats every Tuesday for five years. She was the grandma that came for pumpkin carving with the children that didn't have a grandma. Carol showed up! Carol had colon cancer since May 2010. It didn't slow Carol down.She still showed up at Lincoln Center on her day and the days when others could not. Carol made crafts with her artistic hands and with her heart she gave to others. The Lincoln Center made a profit on each of Carol's crafts.The Lincoln Center is a non-profit center for the elderly. They recently had a bake sale , for which Carol made blueberry cheese cakes , but this time Carol wasn't there to bake. It would 5 people to replace Carol 's baking. And at Christmas time , Carol was there with plates of cookies,quadruple batches of over 22 different kinds for her family and friends. I was the person that received those delicious homemade cookies and candies. I was the teacher that had my class invited to her "hobby farm " for a fun and fun with animal day with my kindergarteners. Carol at the Lincoln Center and at my school , never said no when anyone asked for help! Carol didn't let her cancer slow her down when it came time for doing for others. This farm girl of 16 children , mother of 7 and grandmother of 11 , a great grandmother and my granddaughter's godmother , never stopped giving to others . Carol was and is a "silent angel".
Submitted by Anonymous
We've all had people in our lives who have made a positive impact on us. A parent or grandparent, a sibling who was there for us, or maybe even just a guy who shines shoes for a living? Whoever they are, tell us their story so they can inspire us even more.
Tell Us Your Story All Everyday Hero Stories