But Susan Jones of Temple isn’t done working.
These days she uses her time and talents for the good of the Contemporaries, the fundraising arm of the Cultural Activities Center.
“And we are so glad we have her,” said Marianne Stringfellow of Temple, a member of the Contemporaries. “She’s fabulous at everything she does.”
So for Mrs. Stringfellow and several others, Mrs. Jones was the best candidate for the 2009 Mary Steele Service Award.
“The award is named in honor of the first Contemporaries’ president who was in office 1970 to 1971,” said Melody Ivy, 2009-10 recording secretary. “It represents a devoted year of service or an accumulation of service from a member to Contemporaries’ projects and goals.”
Member Hilde Cort of Temple calls Mrs. Jones an asset to the Contemporaries.
“She jumped in with both feet when she joined and has been working hard ever since,” Mrs. Cort said. “Whatever job she undertakes, she completes it beautifully and in a timely fashion.”
Kathryn Hermans, the 2008-09 Contemporaries president, echoed Mrs. Cort’s words when she presented Mrs. Jones her award on May 20.
“(Mrs. Jones) is always willing to take on any job,” Mrs. Hermans said. “For that, we thank her.”
To earn the Mary Steele Service Award, the recipient must be nominated by a majority of the Contemporaries.
Mrs. Jones joined the Contemporaries in 2003, her first year of retirement.
“It seemed like a good group for me to join,” Mrs. Jones said. “They’re about the promotion of the arts, music and plays, and those are things that interest me.”
In her first year of membership, Mrs. Jones was named the Rookie of the Year.
“That honor goes to an exemplary first-year member,” Ms. Ivy said.
Mrs. Jones’s first major responsibility was coordinating the silent auction for the Contemporaries’ annual gala. She took care of that from 2003 to 2008, the year she took charge of the gala’s chance drawing.
In addition to her gala work, Mrs. Jones has also held the office of Contemporaries vice president in 2006 and president in 2007.
“This past year, I was the membership co-chair,” Mrs. Jones said. “I kept track of member contacts and helped in recruiting.”
For 2009, she plans to serve as publicity chair, a role she first held in 2006.
“I guess with my background as an English teacher, they think I can write a whole sentence,” Mrs. Jones joked.
There might be some truth to that.
“Susan sure is a great speller,” Mrs. Stringfellow said.
