An exceptional lady

On May 15, I visited the Cassville Senior Center to meet Irene Parr, who has been chosen as Barry County's OATS Volunteer of the Year. When I arrived at the Senior Center, Irene met me near the door and reminded me that we had met before.

In my job I meet a lot of people and sometimes I have a little bit of trouble connecting names with faces but with a little guidance from Irene I remembered that I had indeed met her on several occasions.

Although I might not have remembered Irene immediately, I will not soon forget her. As we spoke I realized exactly why, for the second time, Irene was honored by OATS this year.

Irene is an exceptional lady who believes in serving her community without recognition. I believe she has truly been humbled each time that her peers have chosen to honor her commitment to OATS.

When I asked Irene why she has served as treasurer for the local OATS committee for the past three years she said, "It's nothing really. Each committee member has their own position."

With a little more prodding, Irene said that the services provided by OATS are very important for the Barry County area, especially with the present state of the economy. She also commented that she enjoys visiting with the people who use the transportation services.

Talking with someone like Irene who believes in lending time to ensure Barry County residents have access to quality programs is inspiring. I know that our county is full of people just like Irene who quietly serve on a daily basis. I hope someday someone counts me among those individuals.

Do you know a Barry Countian who has recently been honored with a special recognition or an individual who selflessly serves the local community? If you would like to recognize them, leave a comment below.