DARKE COUNTY – The Darke County Senior Outreach volunteers hosted the Darke County Senior Citizen Luncheon for Senior Day on May 9.
May is senior citizen month and a special time to celebrate the leaders who have made the community what it is today and give others inspiration to continue to build on their legacy.
The Area Agency on Aging presents the award for outstanding senior citizen each year at this event. The award is based on leadership and a life of volunteering and service to the community.
This year Helen Miller was presented with the award for outstanding senior for 2018 representing Darke County. Miller is a lifelong resident of Darke County, born at Wayne Hospital, and exemplifies the meaning of service, volunteering much of her time with the First Presbyterian Church, Wayne Hospital Auxiliary and tutoring for the local schools to name a few.
Lauren Henry, Susanne Barga and Pastor John Person spoke about Miller’s giving heart as they read from their nomination to the Area Agency on Aging about her.
“Helen Miller is a beautiful woman with a heart and soul for helping others. She exemplifies the motto service above self and does this guided by and glorifying the Lord,” Henry said. “Helen volunteers for many organizations, and I’m sure I am leaving some out. Helen has volunteered for Wayne HealthCare serving on the Auxiliary for over 10 years, where she served as president for six years as well as two years as vice president and two years as past president. She is the gift shop coordinator and coordinates the reception desk at the hospital. She makes sure patients and greeted with a friendly smile and gets them safely to their procedures all while easing their minds. She helped with the transition of the gift shop to using a cash register and is a leader at the hospital for all volunteers. She is also a fierce servant for the Lord. Helen has volunteered as a member of First Presbyterian Church in all facets of the church life. She has served for over 50 years at the church, giving of her time and talent to help others through the deacons, sessions, Stephan Ministers – visiting those that are home-bound or nursing-home bound, leader of the Parish Life Committee – serving many dinners and lunches for those families suffering from the loss of loved ones at home and following funeral services. With her sweet song bird voice – she is a long-time member of the choir and has served as a children’s education volunteer for bible school, vacation bible school and LOGOS – the children’s Wednesday night ministry. She is a strong part of the tutoring program at Greenville Middle School as well – serving to help children with math, science and language arts. The list goes on and on and I am so blessed and humbled to call her part of my church family and my very cherished friend.”
“I first met Helen when she applied to be a volunteer at Wayne HealthCare,” Barga said. “A good friend and a former colleague of hers first clued me in to what a great person she was and what she could mean to our volunteer program. She has stepped up time after time when there was a need, such as when we had two vice presidents step down, which left a huge vacancy. She has worked on many of the hospital volunteer programs, such as escort, reception, gift shop coordinator. I have known Helen for over 14 years-plus, and I think she exemplifies what a true volunteer at the highest standard should be. She is generous, thoughtful, caring, resourceful and loves to be of service to her community. Her vision of helping people, whether it is tutoring kids, volunteering at her church or at the hospital, it has resulted in an effort in leading us to a better Darke County community for all of us.”
“Helen Miller is a person who cheerfully and reliably works for the good of people in our community,” Person said. “Part of that community service has been to First Presbyterian Church where she has served as elder on four different occasions during her 57 years of membership. She has also served on our Parish Life Committee, taught LOGOS, which is our children’s ministry, taught vacation bible school, helped to organize our congregational retreats and has been a faithful Stephen Minister caring for people who have needed a trained helper in times of need. Helen has not only served in these ways at First Presbyterian Church but has balanced her time at Wayne Health Care serving as volunteer, member and leader of the Women’s Auxiliary. I would highly recommend Helen for this honor.”
Miller was a school teacher for almost 30 years for the Greenville school system and inspired many young children to do their best.
The day celebrating Darke County’s senior community, which served more than 235 senior citizens with a free meal at Romer’s Catering, was made possible with the help of many volunteers and the following organizations: Romer’s Catering, Brethren Retirement Community, Brookdale, Community Action Partnership, Comprehensive Health Network, Darke County United Way, Oakley Place, Orthopedic Associates of Southwest Ohio, Premier Health, Rest Haven, Rotary Club of Greenville, State of the Heart Care, Spirit Medical Transport, Union City Care Center, Versailles Health Care Center, Village Green, Wayne HealthCare Foundation and Zechar Bailey Funeral Home. The Darke County Senior Outreach also thanks Nikki Nealeigh for providing trivia and being the emcee of the event as well as Gene Sherfy, who provided musical entertainment for the luncheon.
The Darke County Senior Outreach, Inc., is made up of many volunteers who care very much for the well-being of seniors in the community. This group of volunteers are honored to serve area seniors and feel blessed to give back and be able to thank the community’s seniors for shaping the community into a loving and compassionate community full of volunteers and fellowship. Darke County Senior Outreach partners with the Area Agency on Aging to put together this luncheon annually.
The Darke County Senior Outreach is a 501c3 non-profit with a mission to serve seniors in the Darke County community. Darke County Senior Outreach, Inc. accepts donations toward this mission at PO Box 1019, Greenville, OH 45331.
