La Escuelita volunteer wins Governor’s Service Award

Photo by Renee Roberson Lending a Helping Hand

La Escuelita and Lydia’s Loft volunteer earns award from governor

by Renee Roberson

La Escuelita volunteer Darlene O’Toole with a group of students.

When Darlene O’Toole heard about the premise of La Escuelita in Davidson through St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, she knew she wanted to get involved. That was 2015, and she’s been volunteering weekly on Friday mornings at the bilingual preschool ever since. She has become such an invaluable presence at the preschool that director Pat Shaw wrote to the governor of North Carolina, asking that O’Toole be considered for the Governor’s Volunteer Service Award.

O’Toole was both surprised and honored when she heard the news of her recognition. She has a heart for service, and enjoys assisting both La Escuelita and Lydia’s Loft, the clothing ministry in downtown Huntersville. She began volunteering with Lydia’s Loft in 2004 after reading about it in the local newspaper and feeling her knowledge of Spanish would be beneficial to the ministry’s clients. At the time, she was still working full-time as a flight attendant but would volunteer there and at La Escuelita on her days off. She retired last year and now works at Lydia’s Loft three days a week and at the preschool on Fridays.

La Escuelita is a bilingual, half-day preschool program located in Ada Jenkins Center in Davidson primarily serving low-income Spanish-speaking children. Darlene has been with us since our inception and is an exceptional part of our little school, we wanted to recognize her in a special way. The North Carolina Governor’s Volunteer Awards provided us with just such an opportunity.”

The Governor’s Volunteer Service Award honors the true spirit of volunteerism by recognizing individuals, groups, and businesses that make a significant contribution to their community through volunteer service. There are categories for the type of nominee (senior, youth, faith-based, family, group, business, etc.) County recommendations are reviewed by the Commission and awards are given out in the counties.

“Darlene exemplifies the spirit of the award,” says Shaw. “Darlene is a discerning team player who is disciplined and industrious. She leads enriching activities and puts the children at ease helping in Spanish when necessary.”

O’Toole helps at the preschool in several ways, from working with the children, assisting the teachers with preparing teaching materials, contributing to the curriculum, and as Shaw says, “calming the waters.”

“I think I get more from the kids than I give,” says O’Toole. “They just feed my soul. Just knowing that I’m helping them in their early foundation. I love that.”

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