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The 2021 Harold Barnes Volunteer Leader Of The Year Award Winner

 
 
John joined the AAABC SHINE program in 2017 and from the very beginning he has been a leader, taking on any challenge that presented itself. At his first year milestone, John was nominated to become a SHINE Local Coordinator over four more tenured SHINE counselors. He dove right into this new role suggesting a new satellite location to assist seniors in an underserved area of the county. Once the new site was approved and ready, John asked to add this location to his counseling schedule and volunteered to add two days a month at the new location in addition to his schedule at the AAABC office. By year three he was counseling at three satellites offices and the AAABC office.

John serves as a Mentor, assisting many new volunteers through the SHINE training process and helping each one to build their confidence and prepare them to be amazing counselors.

John is a Certified SHINE Presenter, giving SHINE informational presentations wherever we are invited. He is always prepared and professional, ready to handle any topic, question or situation he comes across.

Lastly, John is a Senior Medicare Patrol Task Force member. He is continuously learning about ways to help clients avoid scams, fraud and abuse. In one case, John was instrumental in helping assist a client who could not get her doctor’s office to reimburse her for services she had paid for and did not receive.

John is willing to do anything asked of him and jumps in with both feet. He never says no.  He treats every person he meets with sincerity, empathy and compassion. So much so, our Help Line tells us John has a “following” with many people calling in asking for him by name and always commenting on how wonderful he is as a counselor and a human being.

In 2020 and 2021, the COVID pandemic changed our entire SHINE program structure as it did for AAA’s across the nation. Our in person presentations had to transfer quickly to virtual presentations. John did not hesitate to make the transition and to make himself available online. His ability to remain calm during sometimes stressful online virtual presentation situations when the internet dropped or created lags was professional and admirable.

An example of John going above and beyond is when a client, who was newly diagnosed with cancer, came in for a SHINE appointment. The client was distraught as he could not afford the co-pays for his cancer treatment. John was relentless in trying to get assistance, making calls and even going so far as contacting the treating physician’s office. After speaking with the office manager, the physician agreed to see the client and work out the issues in order to complete the client’s treatment plan.  John’s efforts on his behalf will never be forgotten by anyone affiliated with this client.

John exhibits the same caring attitude with everyone he encounters and when hurricanes have been imminent, John called his volunteers to ensure they were secure before and after the storm.  He is always ready and willing to help.

John is a tremendous asset with outreach events in Broward County. He assists and does whatever is needed including transporting carts, tents, boxes, coolers, and marketing items anywhere they need to go.  John has volunteered time on weekdays, weekends, holidays, even in the midst of a massive rainstorm.

In 2021 John volunteered 61.82 hours and serviced 124 clients. His soft-spoken voice, kindness, and demeanor can calm and diffuse the most irritated, upset or difficult client.

John always has a smile, compassion, gentleness and has a heart of gold. He is a true SHINE Ambassador, and we are fortunate to have him in our program.

Elder Interior