33rd Annual Seniors of Achievement Awards
On June 9, 2022, MACOA’s Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) held its 33rd Annual Seniors of Achievement Award Ceremony at the Montgomery Country Club. After a three-year pause resulting from Covid-related precautions, MACOA was thrilled to return to hosting this event which recognizes seniors who have made notable contributions to our community, near and far. The Nomination Committee received applications from an impressive pool of potential awardees, and ultimately awarded fourteen of these seniors with distinguished commitments to service.
The Mary Katherine Archibald Blount Special Friend of MACOA Award to the following three organizations that have been huge supporters of Meal on Wheels:
Caddell Construction (2020)
Caddell Construction was started in the home of John and Joyce Caddell almost 40 years ago and has experienced steady growth toward a portfolio that now spans 35 countries on 5 continents and every region of the U.S. Through the years, they have followed the Caddell family’s example of generosity and support for our local community.
Caddell Construction has been a Route Partner since 2009. Over the years, Caddell has also assisted in the Meal Makers Program and shown support for many of MACOA’s signature programs and fundraising events such as the Senior Pledge Campaign, Culinary Caper, Seniors of Achievement, Christmas Bag program, and Swinging Fore Seniors Golf Classic. In 2022, Caddell became a major sponsor of MACOA’s new Annual Breakfast Event.
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing of Alabama (2021)
Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama celebrated its grand opening in Montgomery in May of 2005. They value social responsibility as a priority and is keenly aware of the importance of supporting and giving back to our community. From 2011 to 2014 Hyundai served as a table sponsor for the Culinary Caper. Since 2014, Hyundai has supported the mission of MACOA by funding a Meals on Wheels route, which currently feeds 12 seniors, and uses their days of service to prepare and deliver Meals on Wheels.
Adams Drugs (2022)
In 1962, Tom and Emily Vinson opened Adams Street Drugs on Adams Avenue across from St. Margaret’s Hospital. Excellent customer service and community commitment were the foundations by which Adams Street Drugs was formed.
Since 2010, Adams Drugs has been a MACOA Route Partner. Adams Drugs has sponsored health clinics for our seniors at the Archibald Center, has been a supporter of the Senior Pledge Campaign, Seniors of Achievement and Culinary Caper events. For the past two years, Adams Drugs has been a gift sponsor for MACOA’s Golf Classic.
2022 Seniors of Achievement and Friends of MACOA Recipients
2022 Seniors of Achievement Honorees
Warren Barrow
Warren Barrow began his career at Caddell Construction as a field worker. He advanced to project manager for several prominent jobs, and continued to rise with the company because of his willingness to tackle hard work and challenges.
After his wife, Delores, passed away in December 2017, Warren co-founded the Respite for All Foundation. This foundation provides critical financial support for launching and supporting new Respite programs nationwide. His initial generous donation began a very successful fundraising effort, and he remains fully involved. The foundation so far has trained over 1,200 volunteers, served over 1,000 people living with dementia, and provided critical support to over 1,000 care partners.
Warren has also provided home repairs and maintenance for seniors who are unable to do the repairs themselves or pay for them - the same work he did with Caddell Construction as part of its Rebuilding Together program.
Gerald Boone
Gerald Boone, known to many as Bubba, has been the absolutely indispensable chairman of MACOA’s Swinging Fore Seniors Golf Tournament for the past 12 years, raising over $400,000 for seniors. During those same dozen years, he has also delivered Meals on Wheels as a volunteer!
Gerald’s tremendous heart for others is reflected in such ways as his current service on the Board of MARC, the Montgomery Association of Retarded Children (formerly known as ARC), as well as his volunteer work for the past 35 years as a fundraiser for the Montgomery Area United Way (now River Region United Way). He led the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce membership drive for more than 20 years and he held leadership roles at Bonnie Crest Country Club, serving as a board member and treasurer.
Jim and Sue Crabtree
Jim Crabtree worked in Christian education for 57 years at Alabama Christian Academy (ACA), Faulkner University, and at Ambridge University. He also taught a Continuing Education class at Auburn University, Montgomery, for 30 years. He preached for six years and was in charge of the education programs at Lakewood Church of Christ, the Children’s Department at Vaughn Park Church of Christ, and at Dalraida Church of Christ.
He, along with his wife, Sue, became part of the Inner-City Church of Christ in Montgomery and immediately became involved in teaching and serving in every way they could. The church began a ministry to bring children from low income housing projects to learning centers housed and staffed by volunteers at several local Churches of Christ, while adults participated in classes directed toward the HUD housing projects and low-income neighborhoods of Montgomery. The Crabtrees are constantly involved in all aspects of the community’s lives, offering their home as a temporary place to live while individuals are between life situations.
Wiley Cutts
Wiley Cutts is an outstanding retired Montgomery educator and community volunteer. Wiley began his career in education after graduating with an associate degree from Faulkner University in 1960 and a bachelor of science in math degree from Troy State University – now Troy University – in 1962. In 1974 he was named one of the Outstanding Young Men of America.
Wiley’s volunteer and community achievements include service on the March of Dimes board, and serving as Chairman of the Education Division of the United Way. Wiley served as an elder in Vaughn Park Church for 22 years and has been on mission trips twice to Ensalada, Mexico. He has dedicated his life to following God and sharing his faith and has mentored many young couples. Another one of his greatest accomplishments, aside from teaching Sunday school for 64 years, is his 50 plus years’ work with the Exchange Club. He was president of the local club in 2008, 2011, and 2013, and was instrumental in starting a club in Prattville. He was the local Exchangeite of the Year in 2002 and the state Exchangeite of the Year in 2010. He also was named the State’s Outstanding District Director in 2014.
Jeanne Drummond
Jeanne Leighton Drummond has been serving the local community since coming to Montgomery in the late 1970s. A dedicated member of St. John’s Episcopal Church, she has served the last 30-plus years on committees formed to improve the lives those in need. These efforts range from numerous mission trips to Honduras with Doctors Without Borders, a church mission partner, to serving on the Pastoral Care Team, to delivering flowers to sick parishioners.
Jeanne, a past president of the River Region United Way, has been involved with many service agencies over the years. An organization very close to hear heart is Child Protect, where she has been a voice for child abuse victims by serving on the Child Protect board and in many other capacities—she is always the first to step up to serve, to call on her circle of friends for support, to volunteer at special events or to host socials, or to open her pocket book to meet critical funding needs. In 2018 she donated $250,000 in seed money for the Child Protect’s capital campaign to pay for a building addition, which is named in her honor. She was named the recipient of the 2020 Outstanding Philanthropist Award by the Central Alabama Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She has been a longtime supporter of other organizations, including Bridge Builders of Alabama, the Family Sunshine Center, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and the Montgomery Area Council on Aging.
Reverend Ben McDavid
Reverend Ben McDavid has been a person of action since his days at Sidney Lanier High School, where he was an all-state football player his junior and senior year and an all-state baseball player his junior year. He continued playing football for the Auburn Tigers and graduated in 1966. After graduation, he entered the Candler School of Theology at Emory University.
Reverend McDavid became program director of the YMCA in Decatur, Georgia, and was very involved with the Montgomery YMCA while in high school and participated in many of its activities. From 1972 to 1974 he and his family lived in Miami, Florida, where he organized and became director of a new YMCA branch. In 1974 Ben and his family moved to Selma where for the next four years he served as chair of the United Way Fund Drive and later as United Way president. In 1979 Ben became Director of the Personnel Division of the Bush Hog Corporation with operations in Alabama, Texas and Kansas. Also, during this period, he served as a weekend pastor at several small Alabama churches.
Belyn Richardson
Belyn Richardson is a super-achiever, both in her professional and personal life. The Auburn grad is the holder of three master’s degrees—one in social work, one in education, and one in business. She was appointed Acting Commissioner of the Alabama Department of Children’s Affairs by Governor Bob Riley and also served as a business analyst consultant. She “retired” for a few years ago before taking the real estate agent examination and placing her license with ReMax Cornerstone in Wetumpka.
Besides being an extremely successful real estate agent, the flexibility of that work has allowed her to serve the Wetumpka community even more in recent years. Using her knowledge and education to great advantage, Belyn became President of the Main Street Wetumpka Board of Directors in 2020, when HGTV featured Wetumpka on its popular national “Home Town Makeover” series. Belyn represented Wetumpka on the program and guided Main Street Wetumpka through the winds of change. She did all of this while also serving as president of The Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery. The gallery serves the youth of the community and enhances the lives and minds of art lovers everywhere. The Kelly had to relinquish its offices to the Wetumpka Police Department, whose building was destroyed by the devastating tornado that ripped through Wetumpka in January 2019. Belyn led the move to a beautiful new facility and continued its full schedule of regular activities. Belyn also served as the Chair of the Search Committee for Trinity Episcopal Church, and has guided the congregation through the extensive process as the church searches for a new rector.
Dr. Jay Wolf Jr.
Dr. Jay Wolf Jr. is from Texas and graduated magna cum laude in 1977 from Baylor University, where he was student body president. After completing seminary, he became Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Montgomery from 1981 to 1984, and left to pastor a church in Alexandria, Virginia for seven years. In 1991, he returned to First Baptist as Senior Pastor, a position he held until his retirement in 2020. In 2002, he received his doctorate in ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Dr. Wolf was a trailblazer in racial reconciliation in Montgomery, breaking down barriers and building partnerships. He initiated the ONE Movement by organizing community meetings, sharing together in worship, and planning opportunities for fellowship between all congregations. He has originated and supported activities for at-risk children and adults in low income areas of Montgomery. His vision for a facility in Chisholm resulted in raising funds to purchase and refurbish an old gym, now called the Nehemiah Center, that provides after-school educational programs and recreational activities for area children and residents.
He has served on a number of local boards and held leadership roles in many national and regional church organizations. He has received numerous recognitions and honors. He and his wife, Mary Ruth, while raising their four children, became totally immersed in the Montgomery Public Schools by serving on the boards of the PTAs for Dannelly Elementary, Baldwin Middle, Jeff Davis High, BTW Magnet, and LAMP.
Melanie Beasley
Melanie Beasley retired from the Family Sunshine Center and continues her work as a leading volunteer. Melanie is a longtime advocate for victims of family violence, sexual assault and human trafficking, for individuals with mental health issues, and for mistreated animals. She is passionate about providing others with knowledge and understanding through outreach and prevention efforts to empower them to improve their situations and those around them.
As Junior League member and graduate of Leadership Montgomery, Melanie volunteered with the Alzheimer’s Organization of the Greater Montgomery Area, the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, Envision 2020 Culture and Arts Task Force and the Multicultural Task Force, Frazer United Memorial Methodist Church, the Governor’s Black Belt Action Commission, and the Domestic Violence Task Force.
Melanie and her husband, David, have one son. She was caregiver to her mother for many years. Melanie has many talents, including painting, writing and decorating, that she uses in her volunteer activities. As one nominator wrote, “Melanie Beasley dedicates her time, talents, and life’s work to blessing others. She is always willing to aid those in need.”
Jesse Harvey Clark
Jesse Harvey Clark (who goes by Harvey) is a living legend in Prattville stemming from his sustained leadership at numerous organizations. Among them are the American Red Cross, where he has been serving on the area chapter’s board for 56 years, and the Prattville YMCA, where he was a founding member in 1963 and now, 59 years later, is the current Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Harvey was Chairman of the Central East Alabama Chapter of the Red Cross from 2006 to 2008, and serves as the Chapter’s Institutional Memory. At the Prattville YMCA, Harvey ran not one, not two, but three capital fundraising campaigns (one in 1965, 1988, and 1999). He also chaired the Prattville Christian Academy Capital Funds Campaign in 2008-2009. He currently volunteers at the Autauga Heritage Association to catalog and recover historical documents and also serves on its Board of Directors.
Sue Crabtree taught in Christian schools for 35 years (ACA, Faulkner, and Boyd Buchanan in Chattanooga). For 25 years she taught Bible classes on both Sunday and Wednesday nights in various churches, and has written four Christian books.
Sue and her husband, Jim walk in lockstep, serving both the church and the community, during their professional lives and in their retirements. The couple became part of the Inner-City Church of Christ in Montgomery, they have spearhead fund drives, personally offer food, transportation and assistance in getting necessary counseling to individuals in need, and they also help young adults get into Christian schools and colleges.
Dr. James E. Dotherow
Dr. James “Skip” Dotherow holds a Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy from the University of Oregon and is a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant and 33-year Veteran.
Skip is involved in a variety of community affairs, and has served in many volunteer positions. He is a regular and reliable volunteer in the many community mission efforts at his church, First United Methodist, doing things such as delivering furniture to those in need, sorting and packaging items for distribution by the local food bank, packaging supplies for future emergencies, and serving as a Salvation Army Bell Ringer. He has volunteered in community recovery efforts following tornadoes and in-state recoveries following hurricanes. He often is part of the organizational link that connects good people with resources of time and money to help meet needs locally, regionally, and even internationally. He recently led his Sunday School class and fellow Rotarians to assist an orphanage in Uganda facing severe drought by organizing a food drive and fundraiser to dig a well that would provide clean drinking water to an orphanage and its surrounding village. Skip continues to chair the First United Methodist’s Missions Committee and is an active Stephen Minister at First United Methodist.
Gayle Corley Humphrey
Gayle Corley Humphrey of Alexander City has served her community in a variety of ways for many years. Since 1995 she has volunteered for the Russell Medical Center reception desk, done tax preparation for seniors, been in charge of food for events with the Sarah Towery Art Colony, has fundraised for the United Way, been chair of the board for Tallapoosa Aid to People, volunteered for the Red Cross doing shelter care training, assisted people in disasters, and provided first aid during the last four major storms that impacted the region. She has also served for 20-plus years on the Alabama Department of Human Resources Quality Assurance Team that reviews foster care situations to ensure children are being properly served.
Gayle is an active member of Alexander City Methodist Church. She sings in the choir and is part of the Susanna Wesley Women’s Circle, for which she was vice president for two years. She is the communications chair for funerals, prayer chains, and meetings, and is the ticket campaign manager for Chicken Que, the annual outreach fundraiser. Gayle also provides food and goodies to friends in need. She also visits, makes phone calls, and prays for the sick, including encouraging and counseling cancer patients since her own recovery from breast cancer.
Dianne Perrett
Dianne Perrett of Equality, Alabama is described as a career volunteer who has never been in the work force but has made volunteering her life’s focus. A review of her life’s “work” shows this is no exaggeration. Dianne is very involved with the Coosa County Food Drop, a once-a-month program where 130 food insecure families drive their cars to Equality Methodist Church and volunteers load their trunks with bags of fresh vegetables, fruits, and eggs, canned goods, and boxes of crackers or cookies. She also volunteers with both Coosa County and Alexander City schools, dressing up as a clown or as seasonal characters on holiday occasions. She reads to elementary school children and shares her home-baked goods with them at snack times.
Because her late husband was a volunteer fireman at Real Island, she is passionate about supporting local volunteer fire departments (VFD). At the Equality VFD, she started an annual rummage sale that secures funds for the department and monthly works in the kitchen for the hamburger/hotdog sale. At the Real Island VFD she helps with the monthly covered dish supper for local families. Dianne helped start the Food for the Soul program at Equality Methodist Church where volunteers prepare and deliver hot meals twice a week to 35 homebound seniors and she is also active with the Paul Perrett Senior Center in Rockford, named for her late husband.
Helen Taylor
Helen Taylor is a mere 89 years old and is less than five feet tall. It is said that her heart is so big that everyone wonders how its fits in such a small body. Professionally, she served in Tokyo, Japan for seven years with the International Mission Board as a dietician for Christian Academy, a missionary school, and is also retired from the Montgomery Public School System where she was a dietician for 30-plus years. Those two interests – Christian outreach and food preparation – have been notable hallmarks of her volunteer and personal activities over the years.
Helen was part of the original pilot group of Meal Makers at MACOA and organized members from her Bible study class to help prepare meals for MACOA’s Meals on Wheels program. For the past few years she has served with the Bullock Prison Ministry through her local church, Vaughn Forest Church. She also teaches an adult Sunday School class and a Wednesday night Bible study class each week. She also finds time to teach an English Bible study to a Korean class each week and enjoys taking care of babies in the nursery for the Mothers of Preschoolers program. Through the years Helen has been involved in international mission trips to China, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, the countries of Georgia and Ukraine, which she has visited several times and which has been much in the news and prayers of everyone this year. Funding for most of the trips were primarily derived from her special baked good sales of banana breads and other goodies.