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Ms. Eloise Hadaway Greets President George W. Bush Upon His Arrival in Georgia.
Hands On Georgia named Macon volunteer Eloise Hadaway the 2006 Georgia Volunteer
of the Year. Governor Sonny Perdue made the presentation to Hadaway during the
opening session of the Georgia Summit on Volunteerism in Atlanta.
For more than eight years Hadaway has been a volunteer with Hands On Macon as
part of the organization's Retired and Senior Volunteer Program. She willingly
puts in more than 60 hours a week, working mornings, nights and weekends. Except
for Christmas, 83-year-old Hadaway never takes a day off.
Each day for the past 12 years,
Hadaway drives to a local supermarket to collect food items scheduled for
expiration that day. She takes the food to Macon Outreach, a fixture in Middle
Georgia for 25 years that provides hot meals to the hungry and homeless. Fifty
percent of the food that Macon Outreach receives comes from the donations that
Hadaway secures. Over the years, this translates to a donation in excess of 40
tons of food.
Feeding the homeless is only one
way Hadaway spends volunteering. Two days a week, the retiree serves as a
Golden Guide at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, helping patients and
family members from across eight rural counties navigate through the hospital,
guiding them to their destinations. Ever-ready to lend her time, Hadaway also
volunteers at the assisted living community where her 102-year old mother
lives. Once, while visiting with her mother Hadaway realized that many of the
35 residents needed help and decided she would step in to assist.
In addition to being named
volunteer of the year by Hands On Georgia, Hadaway was chosen as a Presidential
Greeter and received the
President's
Service Award.
Although countless
others benefit from her volunteer service, Hadaway feels she's the true
beneficiary of her giving. "Volunteering is the best kept secret in the world,"
she said. "I can't think of anything else that would possibly give me greater
satisfaction."
After a successful Hands On
Georgia Week, where all of Georgia's 159 counties hosted service projects, the
announcement of the Volunteer of the Year is only fitting. "Hands On Georgia
proudly salutes the thousands of Georgians who donated time and energy to
serving in their communities during the statewide week of service," said Eric
Tanenblatt, chair, Hands On Georgia board of directors. "We are especially
grateful for the range of services communities provided."
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