The adults—many of them parents—who give freely of their time in support of local schools were saluted Thursday, May 23 at the Calvert County Board of Education (BOE) work session. Calvert County Public Schools’ (CCPS) Volunteer of the Year Recognition honored 25 volunteers representing 24 schools (a couple—Chris and Bill Kinney—received the salutations of Calvert High School).

Volunteerism, said Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jack Smith “is one of the hallmarks” of America. The feted volunteers are quite versatile. They serve as PTA officers, worker bees, members of their school’s Green Team, they organize and chaperone school dances, service concession stands at athletic events, help with the school yearbook, supervise school gardens and coordinate other volunteers.

While there are no ordinary volunteers, some of the tasks are truly untraditional. One honoree, Huntingtown High School’s Charlie Russell, has saved CCPS money by maintaining the school’s playing field. Calvert Middle School’s Volunteer of the Year, Craig Shelden, works with the students on the Lego/Robotics team. Sandy Hunting of Beach Elementary was an organizer of the school’s annual fundraising luau. Among the tasks performed by St. Leonard Elementary School’s top volunteer—Cheryl Danielson—is changing the messages on the school’s new outdoor sign.

According to CCPS officials, “to date in the 2012-2013 school year, more than 13,000 volunteers have contributed over 82,650 hours of service at school sites and facilities.”

Here are the other CCPS’ Volunteers of the Year attending the May 23 ceremony – Leah Walker, Appeal Elementary; Sandi Smith, Barstow Elementary; Jeannie Keyser, Calvert Country School; Gayla Kingston, Calvert Elementary; Sandra Artz, Dowell Elementary; Trudy R. Kirkpatrick, Mill Creek Middle; Sheryl Miller, Mount Harmony Elementary; Lisa Keeley, Mutual Elementary; Amenda Sanders-Brown, Northern High; Debra Holt, Northern Middle; Anita Marie Jones, Patuxent Elementary; William “Bill” Quinn, Patuxent High; Terri Harmon, Plum Point Elementary; Stephanie Murray, Plum Point Middle; Michelle Osborne, Southern Middle, Karen Pirchio, Sunderland Elementary; and Karen Varney, Windy Hill Middle.

Two of the honored volunteers—Wendy Madison of Huntingtown Elementary and Mary Ann Doonan of Windy Hill Elementary—were unable to attend the ceremony.

Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com