Volunteer serves at least 1,500 hours every year

As part of Community Volunteer Month, the Area Wide United Way highlights the efforts of some local volunteers, hoping to encourage others to follow their lead.

Ilena Aslin vowed to give back what so many of her Girl Scout volunteers did so often; she has served the Girl Scouts for 40 years, the last 30 in the role of executive director.

She is a volunteer for many other organizations in the community, including the FISH Food Pantry; Salvation Army; Maple United Methodist Church; Habitat for Humanity; American Red Cross; Southeast Missouri Hospital, where she was acknowledged as the Auxiliary of the Year in 2002 by the state association; Retired Senior Volunteer Program; Intergenerational Center; Community Caring Council Aging Committee; and SALT (Seniors and Law Enforcement Together) subcommittee.

Aslin is also active in the local AARP association, serving on the State Coordinating Team for District 8. She said that her volunteer role with AARP moved her into community service and opened up areas of community involvement that she otherwise would not be involved in. Examples include programs for grandparents raising grandchildren and the senior safety committee. Her work was acknowledged in 2002 with the Andrus Award for her service.

Aslin contributes a minimum of 1,500 hours per year.