Volunteer of the Year

What age group makes up the majority of our community’s volunteers? Seniors!

That’s why the BEACON gives Mesa County organizations the opportunity to recognize their outstanding senior volunteers on Thursday, April 20 at Grand Junction BeaconFest. All nominated volunteers will be honored at the stage, but only one can be named Volunteer of the Year. We need your help!

Vote online (easiest)

Step 1: Go to BeaconSeniorNews.com/VoteVOY

Step 2: Select your favorite volunteer and enter your name and email address

Step 3: Submit your vote!

Voting closes Friday, April 7 at 4 p.m.

Mail-in your vote!

Mesa County Nominees

All volunteers will be recognized at Grand Junction BeaconFest on Thursday, April 20 at Grand Junction Convention Center. Ceremony starts at 1 p.m.

John Ahern

Nominated by Mesa County RSVP/SHIP

In all of John’s volunteer capacities, he has put in 7,325 hours since starting with RSVP 9 1/2 years ago. He has advised hundreds of people on Medicare, putting on seminars and answering questions about this incredibly confusing government program. His smile and infectious attitude wins people over instantly!

Weldon Allen

Nominated by Grand Valley Resettlement Program

In January 2022, Weldon accepted the responsibility of developing a team, creating tasks and a workflow, and finding sponsors for Afghan families who arrived in the Grand Valley. This included everything from furnishing refugees with homes to education, including English lessons, job training and support, fundraising and physical and mental health support. Since then, Weldon has coordinated teams of over 350 volunteers through 12 church sponsors, as well as supporting the nine Afghan families currently in the Grand Valley. No matter how much chaos or how situations change, Weldon is willing to sit down to help train individuals, meet with sponsors and move and furnish homes for the refugees. He is a calm and thoughtful presence in the organization.

Ruthmary Allison

Nominated by Mesa County Spellbinders

Ruthmary is always selflessly helping someone! She tells stories in many elementary school classrooms across the valley and has done so regularly for over 18 years. Teachers love her! A member of Mesa County Spellbinders’ board of directors, we depend on her strength, commitment and creativity to continue to exist and operate. A nationally certified master trainer, she leads our monthly workshops and trains members in Spellbinders organizations across Colorado. Ruthmary also trains our chapter’s new recruits so they can go into the classrooms and tell stories in the oral tradition. Additionally, she’s a long-time HopeWest volunteer who helps patients in hospice care and their families. Whether it is sitting with a patient in their home while the family caregiver takes a break, singing to a patient at their bedside, or making cookies in the kitchen, Ruthmary is there to help in any way. She also sponsors immigrants from Afghanistan.

Bronwyn Beckstead

Nominated by Meals on Wheels

Bronwyn started volunteering just over a year ago for Meals on Wheels and has made a great impact in a short amount of time. She has delivered over 600 meals to clients and has befriended a number of them. Most Fridays, she spends several hours going beyond the call