Mary Beth Moline taught my daughter’s Girl Scout troop about Braille and wrote out each of their names on a Braille card. She worked for years at Fingerhut. She was the first person who greeted you at the main door as you walked in. Once, years ago, she rode with me to Alexandria and spoke to a group called The Telephone Pioneers. These are volunteers who helped throughout the community. She has volunteered with United Way and volunteers at St. Cloud Hospital. Beth always tells me she is glad to see me when we run into each other. Beth has been blind since birth but she sees more than many of us.
John Wertz is a retired teacher from St. Cloud Area Schools. He serves as a SCORE volunteer, a United Way Community Investment Team volunteer, is active in Create CommUNITY efforts and has served on the Y board of directors. John has used a wheelchair as a mode of transportation for a good share of his life. He may not stand up when his name is called but he always speaks out for others from his depth of experience and understanding of the need to seize life’s opportunities.
Maryan Ahmed is a woman from Somalia. She lives with her family in the St. Cloud area. She is a Cultural navigator for St. Cloud Area School District at Madison Elementary, a great mom and an active community volunteer. She helps other Somali community members as they are working to understand how to build their skills, gain employment and address their family’s needs. Maryan is a volunteer serving on United Way’s Success By 6 Partnership Team. She believes in the need for a good education for all children, starting at birth. She and her daughters have helped with Kids Against Hunger projects and she and her husband have help with interpreting and translation. She is one of the brightest and kindest people I know. We are fortunate to have her and her family as members of our community.
