Five local volunteers from Catholic Charities Maine have been recognized with Maine Roll of Honor awards, sponsored by Volunteer Maine and Gov. Janet Mill’s office.

All the honorees completed more than 500 hours of volunteer service last year.

The honorees contributed their time and skills to the SEARCH (Seek Elderly Alone Renew Courage & Hope) program. Four of those volunteers, Susan English, Lorraine Barre, Barbara Hughes and Betty Bates, spent hundreds of hours knitting and crocheting clothing and blankets for distribution to those in need throughout the state.

The fifth, Anne Skelton, is a visitation volunteer and assists those unable to drive by providing rides to appointments and errands. She also checks in on isolated seniors who need companionship, according to a news release from Kathy Hayden with Catholic Charities Maine.

English, of Wales, volunteered 682 hours knitting sweaters, hats, mittens, and baby clothing. She has been knitting all her life and joined CCM’s volunteer efforts in 2017.

She is a parishioner of Wales Presbyterian Church, where donors provide yarn for her projects.

Barre, of Rumford, has been crocheting and knitting for CCM since 2020. Last year she dedicated 960 hours making baby blankets, lap robes, hats, and shawls and enjoys doing so three or four hours daily while watching television.

Hughes, of Lewiston, has been knitting since the 1960s, when she was taught needle crafts by a friend of her mother. She has been volunteering for CCM since 2010, and volunteered 1,440 hours last year.

Bates, who lived in Auburn and died last March, dedicated 835 hours of her time knitting last year. She spent many years contributing hundreds of hours knitting for those in need and earned her place on the Roll of Honor for several years. CCM is grateful for the work she did.

Skelton, also of Auburn, helps more than 10 clients each weekday by driving them to doctors’ appointments, shopping trips, or other errands.

She started volunteering with CCM after she met Wendy Russell, aging services director for Catholic Charities. She has dedicated hundreds of hours each year and 949 last year alone.

CCM has nearly 500 volunteers serving more than 55,000 Mainers. Those interested and to learn more and apply can visit ccmaine.org.

“We feel blessed by our wonderful volunteers at CCM. The Roll of Honor award and ceremony is a chance to recognize these amazing volunteers who care deeply to serve others. We are so glad they are a part of our team,” said Kelly Day, director of Volunteer Services.

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