Long named center's "volunteer of the year"

Charlie Long was honored as the Grand Coulee Dam Senior Center's volunteer of the year at a dinner there Saturday.

"If anyone deserves recognition, it is Charlie," Way and Means Committee Chairman Maggie Stewart said, reading a nomination letter. "So much of what he does is behind the scenes, helping Darla (Orr) and others without anyone even knowing he makes himself available for so many things."

Long said the award took him by surprise, saying that all the real work is done by others.

But the overwhelming vote was for him, Stewart said, citing a long list of his efforts to help, from working with the tax return program to providing transportation to those who need it, to solving just about any problem that comes up.

Members also recognized Eloise Bowman, who had announced she would "retire" this year from her efforts at the center.

Bowman started the center's thrift store, a crucial revenue generator, and launched the idea of putting together Easter baskets for fun, a project that netted the center $6,000 last month.

Both Long and Bowman are also past community-wide volunteers of the year.