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97-year-old GCS volunteer wins national award

News & Record, Greensboro, N.C. on

Published in Senior Living Features

Guilford County Schools' oldest volunteer, 97-year-old Thurman Haynes, has won the national Salute to Senior Service contest, sponsored by Home Instead.

Hayes, a daily volunteer at Haynes-Inman Education Center in Jamestown, was selected from thousands of nominees and 50 state-level winners.

"Thurman Haynes reminds us all how important it is to celebrate life on a daily basis," said Principal Kevin Carr in his nomination. "His dedication and the respect and love he gives others is amazing."

As both the state and national winner, Haynes won $5,500 for the Haynes-Inman PTA, which will be presented to him and the school on Monday.

Haynes has been involved with the school from the start. He sold the school system the land on which Haynes-Inman was built. He can see the school from his home and watched as it was built.

Haynes-Inman, which opened in August 2010, educates special-needs students ages 3 through 22. And Haynes knows something about that, too.

His only grandchild, Meredith, had mental and physical disabilities. She died in 1993 shortly before her 21st birthday.

The school is named in part for her, the Meredith Leigh Haynes-Bennie Lee Inman Education Center.

Haynes described his granddaughter as "very loving" and said she's always on his mind. So in her honor -- and because he likes to keep busy -- he volunteers more than 80 hours per month at the school.

 

He is often one of the first to arrive and greet students each school day. He assists them off the bus and ensures they arrive at class safely. Haynes also lends a hand during PE class, helping students participate in volleyball, jump rope, shuffleboard and other activities.

The students and staff at Haynes-Inman held a parade in January in honor of Haynes' 97th birthday.

Hayes "proves age is irrelevant when it comes to making a positive difference in the lives of others," said Jeff Huber, president of Home Instead, franchisor of the Home Instead Senior Care network.

Haynes is among the 62 percent of seniors 68 and older who volunteered their time in the last year, according to a recent Marist Poll sponsored by Home Instead Inc.

The award comes as schools across the district recognize the contributions of their volunteers during National Volunteer Week.

(c)2014 the News & Record (Greensboro, N.C.)

Visit the News & Record (Greensboro, N.C.) at www.news-record.com

Distributed by MCT Information Services


(c) News&Record, Greensboro, N.C.

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