SCHUYLKILL HAVEN - In praising the efforts of area volunteers Wednesday night, Carol Bowen, program director of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program of Schuylkill County, introduced the crowd to Sunny - a hand puppet of a bear, made of bright yellow yarn.
"These ladies made 71 hand puppets like these," Bowen said to the gathering of 75 at Rest Haven nursing home as she introduced Patricia Horst, Orwigsburg, and Maureen Seltzer, McKeansburg.
Over a nine-month period, the two ladies made them for the RSVP of Schuylkill County Puppet Project, an effort to provide toys to children at area day care centers, Seltzer said.
"RSVP supplied the yarn and we did the knitting and they take whatever we've knitted into the community," Seltzer said.
They were among 11 volunteer groups honored at the Make A Difference Day Special Commendation Awards on Wednesday.
The 17th annual Make A Difference Day in Schuylkill County was held Oct. 27.
This year, 91 groups did 115 projects that helped 9,122 people and 102 organizations, according to Janice Johnston, director of Community Volunteers in Action and event coordinator.
Traditionally, the Community Volunteers In Action Board of Directors honor exceptional projects and this year picked 11.
"Of the awardees, these 11 groups represent 156 people benefiting 1,718 people and dozens of animals," Johnston said. "Their projects aided 17 organizations, one school, two communities and an animal shelter. Populations who were helped were ill children and adults, the elderly, veterans, preschoolers at risk of delayed language development, low-income families, those suffering from hunger, and animals."
All 11 received a certificate of recognition from the Schuylkill County commissioners and the office of U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-17.
They included Girl Scout Cadette Troop 30164, Shenandoah; Girl Scout Daisy Troop 30166, Shenandoah; Girl Scout Daisy Troop 30337, Frackville; Kelly Family, Schuylkill Haven; the administration, faculty and staff of the Schuylkill Health Joseph F. McCloskey School of Nursing, Pottsville; Rest Haven Nursing Home, Schuylkill Haven; RSVP of Schuylkill County Puppet Project, Pottsville; Schuylkill Regional Resource Center, Mahanoy City; Shepherd's Table of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Ashland, and Trinity Lutheran Church Youth Group, Pottsville.
The 11th honoree, Teens & Tweens of Pottsville, received the "Above and Beyond Commendation," Johnston said.
Christine Datte, her son, Adrian, 15, and daughter, Evelyn, 10, and their school friends transformed the basement of the Datte residence on Howard Avenue in Pottsville into a haunted house to benefit Hillside SPCA, Pottsville. Volunteers on the project included Madison Ryan, 10; Meghan Rowlands, 10; Megan Ryan, 14; Haley Zimerofsky, 11; Justin Steffan, 13; Collin Larkin, 14; Anna Lieberman, 11; Jacqueline Steffan, 11; Ella Zanis, 11; McKayla Rowlands, 12; Ryan McCloskey, 12, and Lorne Zanis, 13, according to Christine Datte, wife of attorney Paul Datte.
Guest speakers at the commendation presentation Wednesday night included the Schuylkill County Commissioners and Kay Jones, the executive director of Schuylkill County's VISION, Pottsville.
"I think you all know the answer to these two questions: Why is volunteering important? And why do people do it?" county commissioners Chairman Frank J. Staudenmeier said at the top of his speech.
"It's importance lies in showing those who need help that the world is still a beautiful place to live. And it's validating that no matter what kind of tragedy strikes, there will always be a silver lining in every rain cloud, including Hurricane Sandy," he said.
"We have this tradition of working across our communities in this county. Strong communities are built on service. And those of us who have gray hair probably spent a lot of our lives doing things as volunteers and we're very proud to do that. It's being part of our communities.
"It's our obligation as the elders to make sure young people are well-rooted in their communities where they're living. It's a wonderful thing that there are children here tonight who did serve their communities. The strength of American democracy is volunteerism," Jones said.