Volunteer of the Year Award Recipient: Mary Jo Padderud
Number of Volunteer Hours Overall: 1059.25 hours since 2006
On March 14, 2010, long-time Hannah’s Treasure Chest (HTC) volunteer, Mary Jo Padderud, was the first to be awarded the HTC Volunteer of the Year Award at the 5th annual Diva’s Day Out. Executive Director, Angela Addington, presented the award during the event’s program, following a speech Padderud gave on volunteering at HTC.
The award was a huge surprise for Padderud. When Addington announced that Padderud was the recipient of the award, Padderud was so focused on completing her speech that the moment of actually receiving the award felt surreal to her.
The award means a great deal to Padderud. “There are so many people that this award could have gone to,” said Padderud. “It was a real honor and I was very touched by it.”
Padderud has been a volunteer at HTC for approximately eight years and has filled many roles, including filling orders and calculating statistics from distribution sheets. Over the years, Padderud has seen HTC change and grow.
“It is amazing to see what it (HTC) is today,” said Padderud. “It is still changing and evolving to bigger and better things.”
For Padderud, volunteering at HTC has been a “wonderful experience.” She has enjoyed watching it grow and seeing all the volunteers who have come to the organization. Each volunteer brings new ideas.
“I always feel better coming here (HTC) and being around everybody,” said Padderud.
When Padderud decided to look in to HTC as a place to volunteer, she came in for a tour. Addington discussed the mission of HTC with such enthusiasm that Padderud was “sold.”
“I knew I wanted to be a part of it,” said Padderud. “It’s not just a place to volunteer; it is more of a family. People are willing to listen and do what they can to help you.”
HTC and its volunteers have left an everlasting impression on her life. Recently, Padderud fell very ill, and the other HTC volunteers became an important part of her support system.
“The overwhelming response from people with cards, prayers, gifts, offering to help in any way, making dinners…” said Padderud with tears in her eyes. “It (HTC) is a great place to be.”