03/26/2008 Shepherd's Nook Honored With Governor's Award Volunteerism is alive and well in Worcester County as was demonstrated at the annual Volunteer Recognition Awards Dinner honoring 20 organizations and their representatives. Known as "Maryland's Most Beautiful People" awards, individuals or organizations are nominated by county residents. The dinner was sponsored by the Worcester County Commissioners and was held at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club on Tuesday, March 18. According to Cyndy Howell, volunteer services manager for the county, "This is the first year the county's recognition award merged with the Governor's Office of Services and Volunteerism and that is why we were allowed to select three winners this year." In previous years only one winner was selected. The Shepherd's Nook also received an award for its volunteer work from the governor's office. Three hundred nominations were received at the state level of which 38 recipients were selected to receive awards. "It really does take a lot of people working at the Shepherd's Nook to do this. It is not one woman's or one man's job. It takes all of us," said Lou Anne Trummel, who has been a volunteer at the Nook for five years and is chairperson of the community outreach program at Community Church. Among the 54 volunteers who work at the Shepherd's Nook, Mrs. Trummel and Joleen Killinger are co-chairpersons, Shirley Bradley heads up Sarah's Pantry (food distribution) and Betty McDermott chairs specialty events. As a community outreach program the Shepherd's Nook provides food and clothing to people in Worcester County as the need arises, often on an emergency basis, seven days a week. When Ellane Heim was in charge of Sarah's Pantry it was not unusual for her to be late for Sunday morning worship service as she gathered food from the pantry to help a family in need. Construction of the basic Shepherd's Nook building was completed in 1999 with the United Methodist men finishing off the interior work. Built adjacent to Community Church on Racetrack Road it carries a large selection of donated clothing that is in turn sold to the public. The monies received fund an extensive community outreach program as well as help stock the food pantry. According to Mrs. Trummell, each week the volunteers sort between 100 and 150 bags of donated clothing. No item of usable clothing is ever thrown out. At the end of each season when the stock in the Nook is turned over, clothing still on the shelves is given to other organizations such as Good Will or Diakonia. Each year when Community Church volunteers travel to Appalachia where they help rebuild homes as part of the Appalachian Services Project (ASP) they take 50 or 60 bags of clothing to give to any needy residents. One of the two other county awards went to Ginny Reister who has been active in Women Supporting Women, a breast cancer outreach program. And it was through her suggestion of a summer youth program that Camp Ocean Pines came into being. The third award went to Bill Outten, long a prominent leader in Berlin having served as the president of the Berlin Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Berlin Village Fair and a member of the Berlin Arts and Entertainment Committee. "It was one of the best recognition ceremonies we ever had. Every year I am amazed at the number of people who volunteer in so many different areas. This dinner doesn't even touch the surface of what is being done out there. It is a minuscule representation of the volunteers in Worcester County," said Mrs. Howell. The Shepherd's Nook of Community Church at Ocean Pines on Racetrack Road is open to receive and sell clothing on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
By Dolores E. Pike
The three awards for outstanding service by the Worcester County Office of Volunteer Services went to the Shepherd's Nook of Community Church at Ocean Pines nominated by Arlene Page; Ginny Reister, nominated by Anna Foultz; and Bill Outten, nominated by a number of people. The winners will represent the county in Annapolis at the Governor's Volunteer Awards Recognition ceremony to be held during the week of April 27, which is National Volunteer Week.
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3/26/2008
