Sacramento County is celebrating individuals who are 50 years of age and older who dedicate their time, energy, and passion to making our community a better place. The Sacramento County Adult and Aging Commission is now taking applications for its 5 Over 50 Volunteer Award.
Nominees must be 50 years of age or older, actively involved in volunteer work, and residents of Sacramento County. If you know someone who meets the criteria and has made an impact in Sacramento County, nominate them for the 5 Over 50 Volunteer Award. Learn more about the application process and access the form by visiting the Adult and Aging Commission page. Two letters of reference are required. The deadline for nominations is Friday, February 9.
The 5 Over 50 Awards will be presented on May 21 during a Sacramento County Board of Supervisors meeting. The award is presented in May to coincide with Older Americans Month. Five nominees will receive the award, with one person selected from each district within Sacramento County.
Sacramento County’s Adult and Aging Commission members look forward to celebrating the winners. The 5 Over 50 Award not only recognizes these individuals for their hard work but also celebrates their impact in making Sacramento County a great place to live.
Those looking to nominate individuals for a 2024 5 over 50 award can do so by submitting their nomination ONLINE HERE. You can also learn more at www.saccounty.net.
Eighteen locals were honored in 2023
Eighteen people were nominated for Sacramento County’s 5 Over 50 Award last year. The Sacramento County Board of Supervisors and the Sacramento County’s Adult and Aging Commission honored all of them during a regular public meeting.
Some of the award recipients wanted to share why they volunteer. They also wanted to highlight what they do to help others in Sacramento County.
One of the volunteers who was honored is John Seigal. He is a member of the Kiwanis Club of Rancho Murieta. He also volunteers at the Elk Grove Food Bank and the California State Railroad Museum. John has volunteered over 28,000 hours at the State Railroad Museum since 1999. John says he enjoys staying busy.
“I’m enjoying my life. I get up every morning and I have something to do,” he explained.
John says being retired doesn’t mean you have to lose your sense of purpose. He encourages older adults to get out and find ways to stay involved in their community.
“When you get to retirement age, what’s the purpose in life? To sit around the house all day? No. Choose to volunteer, do what you want to do, and bloom where you’re planted. Find out about all of the new things happening. Share your wisdom now that you are older,” said John.
Howard Hatch is another award recipient who loves history. He volunteers at the Sacramento History Museum. During the pandemic, he became a TikTok celebrity. Videos of Howard running the old printing press went viral.
Now, he uses the videos to teach people around the world about his volunteer work and Sacramento’s history. His fellow volunteer at the museum, Jared Jones, makes the videos. People love watching Howard so much, viewers have donated thousands of dollars to the museum. But Howard says he doesn’t volunteer or star in the videos for the fame. He loves running the printing press and teaching younger generations about history.
“I always figure, if you want to know something about what you’re doing right now, you need to see where it came from and how it developed,” said Howard.
Howard started volunteering at the Sacramento History Museum more than 20 years ago. Right now, he has no intention of slowing down. He plans on creating more videos to continue educating people. Those who have volunteered with Howard say they are thankful for his dedication to the museum and want to recognize Howard for bringing so much attention to the museum.
Award recipient Marilyn Lewis was recognized for her dedication to keeping her community safe. She serves as Neighborhood Watch Coordinator in her Old Foothill Farms neighborhood. She’s helped coordinate the community watch efforts for more than 11 years. She also goes out of her way to make new neighbors feel welcome by sending them letters
“Marilyn is reliable, trustworthy, honest, and extremely loyal to our neighborhood. Our safe community is a testament to her dedication,” said Susan Holtgrave, who nominated Marilyn for the 5 Over 50 Award.
Award recipient Ed Stone was a math teacher before he retired. Now, he uses some of those skills to build handrails to help older adults and people with mobility issues. Ed Stone has volunteered at Rebuilding Together Sacramento for 20 years. Rebuilding Together helps vulnerable residents live in safe, healthy, efficient homes and neighborhoods. Fellow volunteers wanted to recognize Ed not just for his work but also for his personality. He is known for being a jokester and cheering up those around him.
Other 2023 award recipients included:
Daniel Aderholt, Mark Baker, Mark Harrington, Dr. Ali Tucker Lichtenstein, Jayasri Mechineni, Nancy Woo, Sharon Ruffner, Carol Stirnaman, Maggie Roehm, Jeanmarie Willbee, Corecia Davis, Wayne Harmer, David Ishikawa, and Teresa Kahl.
Sacramento County’s Adult and Aging Commission thanks all of the 5 Over 50 Award recipients for their dedication to making Sacramento County a great place to live.