Ann Crooker St. Clair Chapter, NSDAR Presents Community Service Awards
The Ann Crooker St. Clair Chapter, NSDAR honored two very deserving volunteers
in our community with the DAR Community Service Award at their recent
meeting.
The chapter can give two Community Service Awards yearly to candidates that go
above and beyond in their volunteer efforts to make our communities the best
they can be. When the committee chooses candidates for the awards, they
research their volunteer history and ask friend, families, or co-workers (past and
present) to write letters of recommendation. The candidate information is then
sent to the State for approval of presenting the awards.
This year the awards were presented to Carol Gapsis and Kim Ray. The committee
received letters of recommendation full of accolades like caring, fully engaged,
making a difference, gives 150%, works quietly behind the scenes, and “getting it
done” about these ladies.
Carol’s volunteer service includes helping those in need, being involved in a
variety of women’s organizations, SWAN , Violence Against Women, serving as
Executive Director of the Cross at Crossroads, and raising awareness in the
community of Human Trafficking. This is just a drop in the bucket of the volunteer
information received by the chapter. Carol holds the title of the first-ever chaplain
for the Effingham Fire Department who joined the chapter in presenting this
award to Carol. Also present at the presentation was her daughter and a past co-
worker making a very surprised Carol!
Kim’s service includes working behind the scenes for the Tri County Fire
Department fundraisers, keeping Beecher City beautiful with her garden designs,
planting and maintaining the gardens and willingness to share her talents. You
can view her beautiful gardens at Beecher City Park and Beecher City Library. She
volunteers at the library decorating and in the afterschool programming. She
helps those in need and has played the piano for the Beecher City United
Methodist Church for 50 years. Her husband joined her at the awards
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