Three Village Volunteers members honored for service

From its beginnings with a handful of Lewes volunteers in 2013 to its current reach – over 150 volunteers serving more than 260 members in the Lewes, Milton and Rehoboth Beach areas – Village Volunteers has built on the commitment and compassion of both volunteers and members to help older neighbors live independently.

While scores of volunteers stand out for their service, three were selected as hidden heroes at the request of the State Office of Volunteerism and Volunteer Delaware 50+ to help mark Global Volunteer Month in April.

The three – Suzanne Hain of Lewes, Dave Garner of Milton and Tracey Gersh of Rehoboth – are representative of the breadth and enthusiasm of Village Volunteers and its new branch, South Coastal Village Volunteers, which serves Bethany Beach, Millville and Ocean View.

Village Volunteers was named a community partner April 21, with information and photos from the organization posted on social media together with a profile and photo of Hain, Garner and Gersh. The three will receive commemorative awards from the Office of Volunteerism, including a Volunteer Delaware cape, mask and certificate at a ceremony at the Village office, 16686 Kings Highway, Lewes.

Suzanne Hain joined as a volunteer with her husband George Dellinger in 2014, soon after the organization began services as the Greater Lewes Community Village. She is editor and designer of the quarterly Voice of the Village newsletter, and provides transportation to members. She logged 1,100 miles of member transport and about an hour a day of service during the first quarter of 2021 and built personal relationships with several Village members.

“The Village has given me my raison d’etre in retirement,” said Hain. “All those activities bring me in touch with wonderful, caring, committed people. What a joy it is to be with all of them.”

A neighbor introduced Dave Garner to the Village in 2018, and he quickly became a key organizer and advocate as the nonprofit expanded its reach into Milton. He serves as a board member and chair of the membership committee, in addition to transporting members and helping with everything from yard work to computers.

“It gives me a feeling of great satisfaction to help members and hear their sincere words of ‘Thanks for all you do,’” he said.

Tracey Gersh, a relative newcomer to the Village, became a volunteer one year ago – just in time for contact restrictions imposed by the pandemic. She immediately rose to the occasion and has made regular check-in calls with members her specialty, along with food deliveries and other COVID-related services.

Gersh speaks to the resilience of the Village and all its volunteers in the wake of a pandemic year. “The Village has creatively and responsibly navigated providing services during the pandemic, keeping volunteers in the know on the latest information about COVID and the proper precautions to keep everyone safe, members and volunteers alike,” she said.

For more information, contact Village Volunteers serving ZIP codes 19958, 19968 and 19971 at 302-703-2568, lewesvillage@gmail.org or go to villagevolunteer.org. To contact South Coastal Village Volunteers serving ZIP codes 19930, 19967 and 19970, call 302-500-1281, email southcoastalvillage@gmail.com or go to villagevolunteer.org.