Neal honored for years as tireless volunteer
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So when others ask her exactly how many handmade quilts she has helped to contribute to the community, she says she has no idea.
But the thousands of hours she has no doubt dedicated to RSVP by working with quilters from around the community, making quilts for victims of fires and the needy, have obviously turned some heads, as Neal was honored by RSVP earlier this week.
“I wanted to help do anything, but quilting is what I like to do,” she said of joining the program, which is designed to allow seniors a chance to stay involved in the community by pairing their activities with their interests to benefit others.
Presently, Neal quilts with others at East End Church of Christ, but has been involved with other quilters doing the same type of work throughout the community for years.
RSVP director Sue Jones said after she became the program director last year and discovered Neal had been a volunteer since 1983, she could not believe it.
“That just flipped me out,” Jones said Monday. “I just went to the file and said, ‘I want to see when she signed up.'”
“I said, ‘April 13 of 1983?’ And I said, ‘Tomorrow’s going to be April 13.’ And I thought, ‘How wild is that? What a coincidence.'”
So with family and friends present to surprise her, Jones made a special trip to Neal’s home to say thanks in person Tuesday.
Neal, 87, is ill and cannot volunteer anymore. She said because of the nature of donating the quilts to those in need, volunteers do not usually see beneficiaries of their work.
“It makes you feel good. When they have a fire, we feel like they’ve lost everything and that’s why we give them a quilt and a Bible,” Neal said. “I guess we’ve had a few to thank us, but not many.”