Eleven Moore County residents have been nominated for the 2009 North Carolina Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service.

Their services include everything from a mobile soup kitchen to helping injured veterans. The oldest nominee is 94.

"Each one exemplifies the epitome of a volunteer," said Shiela Klein, director of RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Program), an adjunct of the Moore County Department of Aging.

Klein is designated by the state as the Moore County coordinator for this award, and RSVP Advisory Council board members serve as the local review panel.

Five Moore County finalists will be announced on Nov. 19, and the county's Medallion winner will be announced at a reception to follow. The Medallion winner will advance to the state competition to become part of a statewide pool, from which 20 state Medallion winners will be chosen.

Klein said this is the 31st year of this award program showcasing North Carolina's most dedicated volunteers. The award honors outstanding volunteers who donate their time through charities, agencies, churches or as independent individuals who just make a difference where they live, Klein reports.

RSVP helps 44 nonprofits in Moore County with recruiting, training and recognizing valuable volunteers.

"We also help adults, age 55 or better, find ways to invest their time and energy in enjoyable, meaningful activities that not only benefit the community, but keep them active and productive citizens," Klein says.

Moore County's 2009 nominees are:

n Donald Barnes, who was instrumental in organizing MANNA! (Moore Alliance Nourishing Neighbors Amen!) and now serves as its president. A cooperative effort of 22 churches and organizations, MANNA! operates a mobile soup kitchen that serves more than 600 lunches weekly at seven sites.

Barnes is a leader in Thrivent for Lutherans and the Church Bazaar for the Community, which raised more than $10,000 in 2008. He is a volunteer driver for the Coalition for Human Care and is co-founder of Family Promise, where he serves as an overnight host. He previously served with the Sandhills Food Bank.

n Lea Chandler, who, as an American Red Cross volunteer, was first on the scene to provide food and care to victims' families at the Carthage nursing home shootings. A Red Cross board member, she teaches disaster preparedness courses in Richmond and Moore counties and also volunteers with the Girl Scouts of America and Vass Rescue Squad.

n John Davison, 94, who has volunteered at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital since 1980. He assists with quality assurance by double-checking files to confirm that they are complete prior to storage.

n Marianne P. Kernan, who has been influential in transforming the local National Alliance on Mental Illness affiliate "from mediocrity to a dynamic presence in Moore County." As NAMI president, she helps those needing information about mental illness. She co-hosts bi-monthly support meetings and co-teaches an 11-week course twice a year on dealing with brain disorders.

Kernan initiated and annually chairs the "Pathway to Awareness" program. During her six years of leadership, the NAMI membership has grown from 60 to more than 125. She was responsible for adding another home for adults with brain illness. Kernan is also active with Family Promise and the Business and Professional Women's Organization of the Sandhills.

n Peggy Lucey, who greets and screens Coalition for Human Care clients and tends a plot in the Coalition garden, produce from which goes to clients. Lucey also volunteers for Moore Buddies and Family Promise.

n Barbara McAllister, who has served as Guardian ad Litem for as many as four families at one time even guardians are asked to take only one family at a time. She travels from Robbins to Aberdeen and beyond to visit children and works with any child, regardless of age, sex, race or culture. McAllister has agreed to mentor new volunteers for the program.

n Tonya Pate, who has worked with the Tele-Care program at FirstHealth since 2005. This is a telephone reassurance program in which participants, mostly people living alone, are called daily to check on their well-being. In her four years of service, Pate has made more than 9,500 calls. She also volunteers at Habitat for Humanity and Southern Pines Primary School while working three different jobs.

n Retire Col. Francis R. Quis, U.S. Army Reserves, a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, who in 2007, at age 90, founded Project Able, a nonprofit organization to aid U.S. troops injured in service to their country. Through his efforts, the emergency financial needs of active duty sailors, marines, soldiers, Air Force and Coast Guard personnel are met.

His fundraising efforts include speaking engagements, writing letters to injured troops and their families, assessing situations and supporting troops. He solicits contributions, all of which are directed to the special needs of the military wounded. Special needs are met through wheelchair ramps, special equipment and travel expenses to veterans' hospitals. Quis also volunteers as a Literacy Council tutor, Kiwanis Club fundraiser, and teacher of a course on military intelligence at Sandhills Community College.

n Clive Rose, who has volunteered at the Habitat Moore Store since 2002. He cleans, tests, and repairs small appliances, plumbing, furniture and hardware donations to make them saleable. Through his work, items that would otherwise have been destined for the dump have generated thousands of dollars for Habitat projects.

When the store needs a cashier, Rose volunteers. When both the manager and assistant manager are unavailable, he steps in and helps out.

n Joan Sharkey, who in 2005 joined the St. Joseph of the Pines volunteer corps as a spiritual companion for pastoral care. From there she offered her services to accounts receivable, medical records, and the dietary department.

Regardless of the hour, she will stay with a dying resident whose family is not available. She prepares refreshments, oversees the food table during blood drives, assists with therapy dogs, drives residents to appointments, makes deliveries for the Coalition for Human Care, hosts dinner parties for staff, delivers snacks to residents, visits residents and assists with charity events.

Sharkey also volunteers for the Coalition and Hospice and is an ombudsman at local health care facilities.

n Ann Wood, who has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity for the past 12 years. She began with office services, then began helping in the one-person mortgage department to assist in controlling the volume of mortgages held by Habitat. Her knowledge of insurance enabled her to advise homeowners about insurance needs.

Wood became an expert on tax idiosyncrasies and assists the tax office with the appropriate assessment for more than 160 homeowners. In 2006 she assumed responsibility for the mortgage department.

Contact Florence Gilkeson at 693-2479 orr by e-mail at florence@thepilot.com.