FLEMING ISLAND – The 15th Annual Golden Years Gala honored older adults at Sullivan Hall at Sacred Heart Catholic Church who volunteer in Clay County.

Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park presented awards to four volunteers in the following categories: Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park Outstanding Volunteer, Ernie Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award, Woman of the Year and Man of the Year.

The Ernie Cohen Lifetime Achievement Award was given to Pat Fernandez by JoAnne Cohen, Ernie’s wife. Fernandez currently volunteers for The Way Free Medical Clinic and St. Mary’s Episcopal Church of Green Cove Springs. She has volunteered at The Way Clinic since its inception in 2006 and has steadfastly served when needed. She is professional and works proactively to take care of the patients and facility.

She is a Spanish translator, working with doctors, nurses, and patients to facilitate medical treatment; she manages supplies and the recycling program at the clinic. Pat inspires others with her work ethic, her faith, and her intelligence. She has a relentless passion for helping others and throws herself into anything that must be done, no matter how big or small.

She previously volunteered for the Green Cove Springs Food Pantry and Challenge Enterprises. Pat retired as a teacher in 2007 and has kept up a phenomenal pace of volunteerism ever since, logging an estimated 25,000 of service hours in Clay County for more than 50 years. Pat said she was honored to be chosen out of a such wonderful group of nominees.

The Shepherd’s Center of Orange Park Outstanding Volunteer Award was given to Chris Bass. Chris has been a member of the Shepherd’s Center since 2016. She is a great ambassador for the Shepherd Center and the Adventures in Learning Program. At SCOOP she serves on the Board of Directors as Secretary, teaches two classes in Tangling, assists with registration, mans the outreach booth at the Orange Park Farmer’s Market, does data entry, has designed a marketing piece, and redesigned the newsletter.

Chris is a member who never says “No” when asked to help with a project and is dedicated to SCOOP.

In Chris’s words, “I want to make sure this wonderful program keeps going. The only way I can do this is by pitching in and donating my time and talents. I started by volunteering to help the Shepherd Center, but I found by volunteering, I get so much more. I look forward to all my volunteer jobs.”

Kathy Wray accepted the Woman of the Year award. Kathy volunteers for The Clothes Closet and Food Pantry which has a volunteer base of 110 volunteers and serves approximately 5,000 Clay County Residents. She is Secretary of the Board of Directors, Team Leader in charge of opening and running the Clothes Closet and Food Pantry on Mondays and Second Saturdays. She is also an Executive Board Member.

In 2021, Kathy took on several monumental tasks at the pantry. First, she drove a total renovation of the Food Pantry’s 9,000 square foot building for better accessibility and to maximize the space. Second, Kathy reached out to the food pantry volunteers to seek their advice and suggestions for the renovation. Kathy toured other food pantries in the area to observe best practices, glean any helpful advice, and identify particularly useful systems. Kathy acted as the Project Manager for a total upgrade of the food preparation area. Kathy shared that her father, Jim Dalzell, was an early member of the Shepherd’s Center, so it is an honor to receive this award.

The Man of the Year Award was given to Robert Simpson. Robert volunteers for the Young Life Florida Region, Young Life Clay County, and Grace Anglican Church and Preschool.

e started volunteering with Young Life in 1985 as a part of the Hiring Committee when the dream of Young Life Clay County began.

Currently, Bob is the Treasurer of the Young Life Area Board, a guest host at Young Life Summer Camp, and is the DJ at weekly youth events, annual fundraisers, and camp events. Bob serves as a volunteer Facilities Maintenance Coordinator at Grace Anglican Church and Grace Anglican Preschool. Bob is known for being someone always willing to help. He goes above and beyond expectations and always rises to a challenge.

Bob also is very caring and has a passion for the adolescents in Clay County to know Jesus Christ. Bob embodies belonging and helps newcomers feel seen and valued. Bob is an irreplaceable thread in the tapestry of the lives of those who know and love him.

Those honored are nominated by people in the community. Nominators write a letter about the person and what they have done to serve the community. The nominees are judged by local leaders who select winners in each category.

Andrea Crowder and Al Benson were Emcees for the event. Bradley Bean, Senator Aaron Bean’s son, filled in for his father as the auctioneer. Bradley did a wonderful job engaging the crowd and raising money for the Shepherd’s Center.

The event had more than 160 attendees. The Shepherd’s Center’s Board Chairman, Suzanne Tower, said that the event is an outstanding way to showcase senior volunteers in our community. The volunteers’ commitment and generosity exemplify their generation’s values of integrity and a strong work ethic.