HIGH HONOR FOR GV WOMAN

Bush to recognize Ward for volunteer work

A Green Valley woman is being honored by President Bush for her extensive volunteer work with Tucson schoolchildren as well as her unwavering commitment to her local church community.

After retiring in 2002 from a 35-year career as an elementary school teacher, Mary Frances Ward and her late husband, Stephen, moved from Portland, Maine, to Green Valley, originally as snowbirds who then “fell in love with the place” and became a permanent residents.

The 63-year-old is an active, passionate member of the community and is especially involved at Valley Presbyterian Church, where she teaches Sunday School, chairs the Grief Recovery Workshop and coordinates the Network of Caring (a supportive, social group for church members) for the Villas West community. She is also a lay leader on the Stephen Ministry team, a program that provides Christian support to church members experiencing a life crisis.

On top of that, Ward has been continuing to fuel her life’s passion: helping children learn how to read.

“The thing about volunteering after you’ve retired is that it gives you a chance, it gives you an opportunity to still

be productive, to still connect with the needs of the world,” said Ward.

“And in my little world, it’s been the needs of children. That’s been my focus my whole life - children.”

In August of 2007, Ward joined the Experience Corps, a national volunteer program run locally out of Tucson’s

Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona that connects adults over 55 with children who need extra tutoring

in literacy. In the 2007-2008 school year, Ward contributed more than 500 hours of her time ?both in the classroom,

at Harriet Johnson Primary School in Southeast Tucson, adjacent to the Pascua Yaqui Indian Reservation, and in training new Experience Corps volunteers.

It’s no wonder that she was chosen to be a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Service Award, created in 2003

by the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation to thank volunteers across the country for making a

difference in the lives of others. The council is a product of the USA Freedom Corps, a White House Office Bush created after 9/11 to promote volunteerism among Americans.

Over the past five years, Bush has honored more than 650 volunteers with the award.

The president arrived in Tucson Thursday night to host a breakfast fundraiser for Republican congressional candidate Tim Bee, who is running against Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords in Congressional District 8, which covers most of Southeastern Arizona.

Bush will present the award just before he departs Davis-Monthan Air Force Base around 10 a.m. today.

“I doubt I will get a wink of sleep Thursday night,” said Ward, who was notified Monday that she had been chosen.

“I don’t really feel worthy of this kind of recognition from the leader of the free world. But at the same time, knowing

how much he values the work we do as volunteers and the work we do as educators just thrills my heart.”

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726