National Volunteer Week Highlight

The Shepherd’s Center of Richmond recently held our40th Anniversary Volunteer Celebration. Aside from having lots of fun and enjoying a great celebration, we came together to honor our volunteers.

One of the awards given that day was the Shepherd’s Centers of America Donald Owen and Katherine Horridge Smith National Volunteer of Excellence Award. It was awarded to Susie Wiltshire, our long-time, uber-dedicated, all-around, been-on-every-committee volunteer, who has served as a Board member, an Open University instructor, the general editor….you name it, Susie’s done it or helped get it done. No one is more deserving of an award on any given day, but she especially deserves one that highlights her volunteer work for The Shepherd’s Center of Richmond. Thank you, Susie! Well done!

Below is an excerpt from the Shepherd’s Centers of America Network.

SHEPHERD’S CENTERS OF AMERICA
NATIONAL GALLERY OF VOLUNTEER EXCELLENCE
2024 DONALD OWEN AND KATHERINE HORRIDGE SMITH NATIONAL VOLUNTEER OF EXCELLENCE AWARD

Before retiring in 2005, Susie Wiltshire was an educator for 44 years, serving as an elementary school principal, director of studies, and teacher of French, German, and English. She spent 38 of those years at St. Catherine’s School, but also taught in the Richmond Public Schools, Hampton High School, the Collegiate Schools, and the University of Richmond. After all this, you would think that she would put her feet up… but not Susie. “Teaching has always brought me great joy and I love to learn. Plus, I have a long history of doing volunteer work.” It all came together for her in one organization. At the spry age of 87 (or as Susie likes to say – she is four-score and seven years old), Susie has spent the last 15 years volunteering in a variety of roles at The Shepherd’s Center of Richmond. It started when a friend of Susie’s, who served on The Shepherd’s Center’s board, recruited her to teach French, and Susie immediately accepted. The next day she was also asked to be a member of the board of directors, to serve on the education committee, and chair the public relations committee. Again, she agreed. “My late husband, Charley, and I had been attending classes offered at the Open University and we were pleased with the organization’s efforts in providing stimulation for older citizens.” Volunteering for the Shepherd’s Center, teaching, devising courses, and recruiting lunch speakers for 60 presentations a year, made her feel as if she were back at St. Catherine’s again. On top of her volunteer work for the Center’s lifelong learning programs, Susie is the Center’s unofficial longtime senior editor. Anything that goes “to press” is reviewed by Susie—and anyone who has had work reviewed by her is a better writer from having had the experience! She also continues to be a strong advocate for the Center’s PR committee and is passionate about getting the word out to the community. In 2012, her French students established a scholarship in her name so that older adults in need can now participate in Open University. In 2019, on the occasion of the Center’s 35th anniversary, Susie received its Distinguished Service Award, presented to those who are deemed to have played important roles in the founding and/or successful operation of the Center. The Shepherd’s Center of Richmond is successful because of Susie Wiltshire’s amazing talents and her willingness to support the good work accomplished for the betterment of Richmond’s older adult community. If we could honor her every day with an award, we would