Acknowledge an outstanding volunteer

AARP Massachusetts is seeking local nominations for the 2010 AARP Andrus Award for Community Service. The association's most prestigious volunteer honor, this annual program recognizes outstanding volunteers who are sharing their experience, talent and skills to make a powerful difference in their communities. According to AARP Massachusetts State President Linda Fitzgerald, AARP's commitment to volunteer service can be traced back to the life and vision of its founder, Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, whose motto was: To serve, not to be served. "AARP has long valued the important contributions our members and volunteers make to their communities, neighbors, and the programs they serve," says Fitzgerald. Nominees are considered for the AARP Andrus Award for Community Service based on a range of criteria, including how their volunteer work positively impacts the lives of individuals age 50 and over, how their work improves the community, and how they inspire others to volunteer. To be eligible for the award, nominees must be AARP members or AARP volunteers currently or in 2009. The volunteer service for which they are nominated must focus on the issues of health, livable communities, and/or economic security, and must have been completed without pay. Last year, AARP recognized 45 individuals from around the country, including David Aronstein of Jamaica Plain. Only one recipient may be named in each state. For more information and a nomination form, please call AARP Massachusetts at 1-866-448-3621. Nomination forms are also available online at www.aarp.org/ma. The application deadline is June 1; the award recipient will be announced in the fall. Looking for a way to make a difference in your community? AARP's Create The Good can connect you to projects in your neighborhood, or help you start a project of your own. Visit the Web site www.createhegood.org for more information. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. The AARP organization has staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.