by John Dowd
Last year, in August, members of Pantry Partners in Stevensville submitted a form nominating the organization manager, Dawn Richard, for the AARP Andrus Volunteer of the Year Award. The AARP Andrus Award is named after the organization founder, Ethel Percy Andrus, and is the state’s highest community service award for people aged 50 years and older.
According to Jalaine Wark, a volunteer with Pantry Partners, Richard is “very open and loving,” as well as, “compassionate for other people that need help.” Maryelyn Scholz, a board member and the one who submitted the nomination, echoed Wark’s comments, saying, where many people may help out once or twice a week, “she does something every single day!”
Scholz was notified in November of 2023 that Richard was going to receive the award. However, Richard still had no idea she had even been nominated. According to Scholz, it was a comical episode, as she contacted Richard’s husband to let him know Richard would be receiving a call about the award. Scholz explained that, despite this, Richard actually hung up on the call, thinking it was a telemarketer or spam call. Her husband immediately got upset and had her call the number back.
Richard, who was stunned to receive the award, said, “There are millions of people more deserving than me.”
Richard has been with Pantry Partners since 2013, and has actually volunteered in several other organizations across the country. “I do it just to give back,” said Richard. “I’ve been on the other side as a young mother. I don’t have thousands of dollars to donate, but I sure can give my time!”
Richard attended a Zoom meeting at a later date with all the nominees and the award was officially given to her. A couple weeks later, she received the physical award. Along with the glass trophy award, Richard was also given $2,500 to give to whatever non-profit she wanted to donate to. Of course, she donated it to Pantry Partners. “I couldn’t be doing what I’m doing without everyone else,” said Richard.
Wark, having been with Pantry Partners for over two years, described Richard as efficient and organized. Wark attributes the success and smooth operation of the pantry to Richard. She has experienced that Richard is “really good to all the other volunteers and to the people in need who visit.” Scholz echoed this, saying that Richard seems to have, “a personal relationship with everyone that comes through those doors.” Scholz and her husband have been with the organization for over four and a half years, and she added that the award, “says so much about the community and how much people are willing to give,” and that Richard, “oversees it all. It’s really impressive.”
Wark said, “We’re all on the same page, we all want to help people. We’re like a big family and we treat our clients that way as well.” Wark attributed this atmosphere to Richard’s leadership, as well.
According to Wark, anyone can come into Pantry Partners. According to her, possibly due to the state of the economy, they are seeing more people in need coming to the pantry. She and others involved in the pantry say they are in need of more volunteers to account for the higher numbers of visitors.
Scholz added that, “with this award we would like to showcase Dawn, of course, but also showcase the pantry. It is such a resource to the community!” She hopes when people see this, it will grow their trust in the pantry and maybe convince more people to get involved.
Interested parties can follow the pantry on their Facebook page, Pantry Partners. Interested volunteers can call them at (406) 777-0351, or visit their physical location, 3614 ALC Way, Stevensville.