“The busier the better” seems to be the motto for some seniors who surely aren’t interested in sitting in a rocking chair on their front porch.
Bev and Ron Flintrop, long active at Congregation Shalom, and Lena (Lee) Stahl, a charter member of the Morris R. Guten Auxiliary and volunteer at the Jewish Home and Care Center, are prime examples.
Recognized for their gifts of time, they received cash prizes and plaques at the 22nd annual William and Fannie Kesselman Senior Service Awards Luncheon on June 1 as the 2001 grand prize winners.
Other nominees, also cited for their contributions to the community, are Meta Baruch, Mina Berlad, Eugene Bingenheimer, Anne Goldstein, Rose Jakubowicz, Marcya LeBowe, Betty Rae Litow, Julian Matsoff, Miriam Orenstein, Dorothy Prudhomme, Dr. Gerald Reed, Beatrice Stepner, Betty Turick, Ilya Vernik and Rita Wohlfeiler.
Individually and together, the Flintrops have served their synagogue and the greater Milwaukee community.
“Getting involved in community service has been a slow process for us,” said Bev. “At the temple, we volunteered for this and that and eventually found ourselves doing more and more. Whenever someone needs help with anything, we volunteer. We’ve gotten to know a lot of people in both the congregation and the community.”
“For us, it’s not what we do, but what it does for us,” Bev said.
She has been active in Shalom’s Sisterhood, chairing its rummage sale committee; as a volunteer in the gift shop, at the Purim carnival and Mitzvah Day; and as a High Holidays usher. In addition, she makes new member welcome bags, which the couple personally deliver, and coordinates the synagogue’s fund card system.
She also serves on the City of Mequon architecture board and was active in the Milwaukee Democratic Party and the VFW Auxiliary.
Ron, too, has been involved at the synagogue, even before he converted to Judaism nearly 20 years ago. “We’d always lived a Jewish life, but he converted and had a bar mitzvah after 30 years of marriage. He studied with Rabbi Ron Shapiro and we went to Israel where he celebrated his bar mitzvah,” said Bev.
Ron has served as a member of the board of trustees and chair of the social action committee. Active in the Brotherhood, which honored him as its Man of the Year, he also volunteers at the Purim carnival, Mitzvah Day and Folk Fair and ushers during the High Holidays.
A dedicated and conscientious volunteer at the Jewish Home, Stahl enjoys working directly with the residents. “When I walk in the door, I get a thrill when residents call to me because they have something ‘important’ to tell me,” she said.
During her 35 years in business, she didn’t have much time to volunteer. “I owned Artcraft by Lee, and when I resigned, I wanted to keep myself busy,” Stahl said. “I began going to the Home to visit some of my friends who were residents there and found other friends were volunteers. Now, everyone there is my friend.”
She assists at ceramics classes, helps residents play bingo and takes them to other activity programs. She also enjoys just visiting with the residents, which brings peace of mind to their families when they are not available.
“I try to visit residents who don’t have any family or none living in town. It just makes me feel great,” she admitted. She has recruited other volunteers and helps in planning events.
In addition, she has been active in the Guten Auxiliary for more than 50 years, serving as fundraising and program chair. She has helped raise funds for the local Veterans Hospital, scholarships, Israel and child welfare.
“I’ve been fundraising chair for the past 10 years, and try as I do, no one will let me give it up,” she laughed.
She was the recipient of the Woman of Valor award from Temple Menorah in 1990.
The luncheon was held at Congregation Beth Israel and sponsored by the Jewish Community Foundation, the endowment development program of the Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
The award was conceived by William and Fannie Kesselman in 1977 to help develop a positive image of senior citizens through recognition of outstanding service contributions.
The awards honor the excellence, initiative and dedication of senior volunteers whose service benefits the Jewish community and/or community at-large.
Deenie Cohen and Jennie Elias were event co-chairs. Scott Steele was emcee.
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