Jean Leonard, The Cedars Volunteer of the Year 2007/2008

Jean brings dedication, loyalty and compassion when she walks through our doors to volunteer. She is willing to help with anything; she can go from moving our wheelchair-bound residents around to cooking eggs for the breakfast club to painting fingernails. She's a tremendous asset to the therapy department, and more importantly, to the residents themselves.

Jean was a registered nurse for 40 years and has always been highly involved in her community. She fell in love with Maine from a first visit to Fryburg with with her husband, and moved here in 2003. Asked why she volunteers at The Cedars, she says simply that she really enjoys older people. She has vivid memories of the wonderful stories both of her grandfathers shared. She also saw the need for volunteers when her own parents were in nursing homes. Jean finds volunteering purposeful and meaningful. "It is my job", she says. She volunteers with a number of other organizations as well, including: The St. Lawrence Art Center, The Portland Observatory, St. Piux Church and Catholic Charities of Maine.

Jean's other focus is her family, whom she visits often. She recently accompanied her daughter to Guatemala to meet her new grandson. We thank her and feel blessed to have such an amazing woman in our presence.