The Area Agency of Aging, PSA 2, has recognized Betty Hunt of Bellefontaine as its 2021 Outstanding Senior Citizen for Logan County, recognizing her many years serving as a dedicated volunteer in the local community.
Every May, the Administration for Community Living celebrates Older Americans Month by recognizing a senior in each of its nine counties. The Administration also selects a theme for each year, this year being “Communities of Strength.” This theme recognizes the role that older adults play in creating a connection to strong, resilient communities.
A lifelong Logan County resident, Hunt was the fourth of eight children who were born on the family farm near Ohio Hi-Point Career Center. She attended Zanesfield High School, which is now included in the Benjamin Logan School District.
“I don’t remember ever not having a job…When one grows up on a farm, you grow up working,” the 95-year-old said.
Hunt was one of the earliest employees at Detroit Aluminum and Brass in Bellefontaine. She retired after 42 years of service at the age of 69. She continued to work at Hi-Point Storage for 20 years even after her retirement from Detroit Aluminum and Brass.
Her nominator for the award, Mary Jo Altstaetter, said Hunt exemplifies a quote by Maya Angelou, “They may not remember your name, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”
For more than 25 years, the award winner was the “backbone” of the volunteer portion of the American Red Cross at the United Methodist Church, Altstaetter said.
Hunt noted that the idea to serve with the organization came up while playing Bingo at the Bellefontaine south McDonald’s location, when her friend Audrey Hurley asked if she would be interested in volunteering with her.
While she was with the American Red Cross, Hunt asked several church groups if they would be able to provide soup for the blood donors. Then on the day of the event, she served water and signed each donor up for their next donation.
She enjoyed getting to know each donor on a personal level and remembered them the next time they came in.
“She went above and beyond as she came to know many of the donors on a personal basis,” her nominator said. “She remembered their stories and asked them about their families and their employment. She shared in the joys and sorrows of one’s ever day life..
“One cannot place a value on a volunteer’s labor. Without a doubt, Betty’s hospitality resulted in people returning to donate blood which led to lives being saved by those blood donations. There are people among us today who benefited from the blood donation of a blood donor Betty served.”
The city resident was a familiar face for the entirety of the blood drives, which typically ran from noon to 6 p.m.
“I always arrived early to help the volunteers get set up and stayed after the event to help them clean up,” she said. “If they were kind enough to provide the food, I wanted them to know they were appreciated by helping with the chores at the end of the day.”
In recognition of her efforts, Hunt also is a previous recipient of the Biomed Volunteer of the Year Award.
“I loved the people. I loved the donors, the Red Cross staff, and the other volunteers,” she said.
In addition, the dedicated volunteer provided assistance with other community groups and activities, including working in the kitchen with a group of women who prepared meals at the Logan County Friendly Senior Center.
“She enjoyed interacting with the other volunteers as she set the tables, prepared food and washed dishes. She thrived on the fellowship among the workers,” Altstaetter said.
The award recipient’s tireless work and kindness shown to others is inspiring during the recent pandemic times.
“Over the past year, we have seen how people find strength in their communities, and communities find strength in their people,” said Ursel J. McElroy, Ohio Department of Aging director. “A community’s strength is shown through both grand acts as well as through day-to-day acts of kindness and compassion for one another.”