A helper, a friend to call when help is needed, and a quiet, hard worker. These observations and more were shared by friends and colleagues who, over the decades, have witnessed Marlene Vahl’s teaching, service to her church, and sharing the love of reading.
Collectively, this service is why Vahl is this year’s recipient of the Margaret Downey Community Service Award. The award was presented at the Montesano Library’s November “Lunch for Your Brain.”
“Margaret Downey was a mover and shaker in this community decades ago,” said Lilly Pomeroy, president of the Friends of the W.H. Abel Memorial/Montesano Timberland Library (Friends). “She had a restaurant over on the corner of Fleet Street, which would be the same as First Street, Fleet Street and Marcy. Some of you may remember having eaten in there at one time. She is the reason why we had the Festival of Lights today.”
The Friends created the Margaret Downey Community Service Award in 1995 to recognize volunteers who create a more livable community, have ties to the library, and reflect the award’s namesake love of learning. In attendance at the award presentation were seven previous recipients of the award.
Before presenting the award, Pomeroy shared a brief biography that Vahl provided. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula, where she met her husband, Don, whom she described as the love of her life. They moved several times, living in Aberdeen, Montesano, Raymond, and Broken Bow, Oklahoma, before finally settling in Montesano. They have two sons, Ben and Nate, and three grandchildren.
Vahl is well-known throughout the Montesano community through her being a preschool, kindergarten, and second-grade teacher. After retiring, she joined the Friends, and as Pomeroy describes it, “became the secretary by accident,” a position she held for the next 15 plus years. A favorite activity of her was being a member of the Canine Reading Buddies, which enabled children and adults to share stories with dogs.
“[Margaret] wants to thank all of us for the nomination for the Margaret Downey Award,” Pomeroy said. “And she says there’s no way she could measure up to the standards and leadership of Margaret.”
Pomeroy and others in the audience took turns reading congratulatory letters that were submitted or that they wrote themselves.
“I’ve often heard that it’s the quiet individuals who are working in the background, quietly doing their jobs, who often get the most done. I believe that’s true of Marlene,” one person wrote.
Another shared that “The library book sales were another area where Marlene contributed significantly to their success. She dedicated many hours to sorting of books, sales setup, and cashiering. Whatever needed doing, Marlene could always be counted on.”
“You have such a special way of showing up for this community, quietly, consistently, and always with that kind smile that makes people feel welcome and cared for,” wrote another community member. “You don’t just notice the problems around you; you truly see them. And instead of waiting for someone else to step up, you roll your sleeves and help fix them.”
“Our community benefits in countless ways from the kindness and support of Marlene,” wrote another.
The final letter read aloud by Lori Blanchard was “written” by the dogs who participate in the Canine Reading Buddies. “Thank you for making us part of this amazing thing,” Blanchard said. “It makes us feel so happy to be with the kids, and we can tell they love reading to us, too…You made our hearts and tails full of joy. And we just want to say thank you, thank you, thank you.”
In her closing remarks, Vahl thanked everyone, adding, “in listening to all your kind words, I noticed that I didn’t do anything by myself. This community is so amazing; they’re up for just about anything
In addition to receiving a certificate and her name being added to the plaque that hangs in the library, Vahl will be a lead car for the Festival of Lights parade and will select one of the floats as an award winner.
