Mary Damm receives Jefferson Award for service
For Mary Damm volunteer work is a way of life. It is something
that she came to on her own and something she takes great pride in,
but still she is modest about the things she has done.
Mary Damm receives Jefferson Award for service
For Mary Damm volunteer work is a way of life. It is something that she came to on her own and something she takes great pride in, but still she is modest about the things she has done.
When she discovered she had been nominated for and won the Jefferson Award she was humbled.
“To think that someone would take the time to fill out a nomination because they thought I deserve recognition is amazing,” Damm said. “[Volunteerism] has just sort of become a way of life for me.”
The American Institute for Public Service, which gives out the Jefferson Award, was founded in 1972 to establish a nationally recognized award for community and public service volunteers.
Jefferson Awards are presented at two levels, local and national. On the local level media sponsors, including KSBW-TV, solicit nominations of volunteers who work to better their communities. Each media partner honors five to six Jefferson Award winners and one representative fromeach media partner is chosen for a national recognition. The national winners travel to Washington, D.C. in June at which time they are honored and the top 5 honorees are selected.
KSBW chose six honorees for this year’s local award out of a field of 50 nominees. They were honored at a reception March 26, at the National Steinbeck Center, in Salinas. From there, one of those honorees will be selected to travel to Washington, D.C. in June.
Growing up in Hollister, Damm got involved in her community from a young age, first as a volunteer at the youth group with her church and then through different activities at her school.
When Damm got married and she and her husband Bill had children, her life of volunteerism really took off. The couple has three grown children, Kristin, John and Adam and one grandson.
“It started when I volunteered in my kids’ classes at school,” Damm said. “I strongly recommend that experience to everyone with children. Then it was the parent’s club. Then it was site councils…”
Through the years she has worked with United Way and has been honored by the San Benito Chamber of Commerce. She also volunteered at her children’s schools, sports teams and with school site councils. Through her children, she came to another volunteer opportunity.
One of her greatest accomplishments has been her work with the Boy Scouts of America.
Her kids pulled her into Cub Scouts, but her love for the boys and passion for the organization has kept her there for more than 25 years – long after her sons finished their time with the troop. She started as an assistant den leader, but quickly advanced to working with the Monterey Bay Area Council of Boy Scouts of America. She also founded Fort Benito Cub Scout Day Camp 23 years ago. She is a recipient of the Award of Merit and the Silver Beaver Award, two of the highest awards available in scouting. Under her direction, more than 20 boys have achieved the rank of Eagle Scout status.
“Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts is a real passion of mine,” Damm said. “It’s a very rewarding program and I like that it teaches leadership and builds confidence. It teaches kids skills and all of the different ways to be a good citizen, so that when they become adults they are already good leaders.”
Angela Shelton, a long-time friend of Damm’s and one of the people who nominated her for the Jefferson Award found plenty of kind words to speak to Damm’s character.
“She is not only a leader herself, but a leader that brings out leadership in others,” Shelton said.
Jim Dassel has served with Damm on the San Benito County Boy Scout District Committee for 10 years, but he has known her all his life. The two went to grade school together and later junior college.
“I remind her all the time that she needs to think of herself, not everybody else,” Dassel said. “She does so much and she does it all with a style and grace. She leads by example. I don’t think anyone can say enough about Mary Damm. The community would be better off with a lot more Marys.”
In 2003 Damm was instrumental in helping create the San Benito County Leadership, presenting a yearlong program of education and leadership to enrich individuals.
Each year the program adopts a major project that is needed in San Benito County. Some of those projects included a $65,000 playground for Chamberlains Children’s Center and a gang prevention video that is required viewing in all San Benito County grade schools.
Much of Damm’s impact on the community has been through her work as a health advocate.
Elaine Kovanda has known Damm for a long time and could think of no one more deserving of this award than Damm.
“Mary is organized, focused and gets things done,” Kovanda said. “She’s just my hero. It’s a privilege to know her. She’s the most organized person I’ve ever met. I’d hate to think of San Benito County without her. She does everything quietly behind the scenes, all without praise. She works to make San Benito County better.”
It isn’t always easy. Damm said that she does sometimes get overwhelmed.
“But it’s at those times that I just take a deep breath and then get back to it,” Damm said. “Because I know this is what I want to be doing. The more you’re involved, the more people you meet and the better you feel about your community, because others work hard to make it great.”
It’s those quality relationships that have stayed with her.
“It’s the relationships you develop,” Damm said. “They enrich your life.”
