Pat Sparrow is a volunteer extraordinaire, as a meals program in Kitsap County and Lutheran Community Services Northwest can testify.
Sparrow was honored with the Silver Plate Award by Kitsap Meals on Wheels at the organization’s second annual Silver Plate Award Ceremony June 1 in Bremerton. The breakfast event took place at the Kitsap Conference Center in front of a crowd of about 50 people.
Sparrow, one of three women receiving the award this year, was selected for the service she provides through LCSNW and Catholic Community Services.
She volunteers with the Senior Companion program under the sponsorship of Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW). The program enlists volunteers to provide socially isolated seniors and disabled adults with companionship, socialization, trips to doctor appointments, grocery stores and activities. The companions also provide information and advocacy in addition to providing respite for caregivers.
Sparrow, 71, has volunteered with the Senior Companion program in Kitsap County since 2001. Since then, she has been a companion to scores of frail or disabled adults living independently in their own homes. She has contributed more than 38,500 hours of service and driven her clients on more than 1,000 trips, according to Julie Kerrigan, the program’s s director.
“I find this work so rewarding,” Sparrow said. “I get quite emotional about it. It’s a godsend. These people wouldn’t have anyone if we weren’t able to help.”
Sparrow, who was a fulltime housewife and mother until taking her first paying job in the infant daycare center for a local high school. Later, she became a community volunteer working with teenage parents, teaching them parenting skills and helping them to learn budgeting, cooking from scratch and frugal shopping. Over the years she was active in gardening clubs and book clubs, Boy Scouts and Little League.
Born in Yakima, Sparrow was one of 11 children in her family. Today, she has four grown children, six grandchildren and was expecting one great-grandchild in May