Ripley tapped for honor

Volunteer of the year named

June 1, 2007

By WILL ELLIOTT/Frontiersman

WASILLA - According to its sponsor, a recent award for community service shouldn't be a surprise to one Valley volunteer.

Elizabeth Ripley was the 2007 winner of the Dorothy Jones Volunteer of the Year award from United Way of Mat-Su, a community health and service organization.

&#8220She's so humble, she said she doesn't feel like she deserves this award,” said David Parks, interim executive director of United Way. &#8220What she doesn't realize is that she's already been nominated for the last seven or eight years.”

Ripley was recognized at a Palmer Chamber of Commerce luncheon for her years of community service as a member of United Way, the Palmer Chamber of Commerce and other organizations, as well as her service to youth sports. Local musicians Henry Hartman and Ben Arnette performed in her honor, and Alaska Olympian Kikkan Randall, herself a prominent volunteer, delivered the keynote speech.

Parks said that though Ripley had repeatedly been nominated, she was ineligible until this year because she worked with United Way.

&#8220It was a long time coming,” Parks said. &#8220She most definitely deserves it.”

&#8220I was embarrassed about the award,” Ripley said afterward. &#8220There are so many people who deserve it. When you get involved in our community, you realize how many very committed people work extremely hard behind the scenes to enhance people's experience of our community, and improve their quality of life.”

Ripley said she was humbled to be called one of those people.

Ripley also acknowledged herself as an example of the tricky dynamics that come into play when trying to publicly recognize a private commitment to service. Because most volunteers are motivated by their dedication to a cause, Ripley said, most volunteers would rather point the public spotlight toward that cause than stand in it themselves.

She said that, in the end, recognition is necessary to make it clear to the community how important volunteers are.

Ripley spoke passionately about her involvement with youth sports.

&#8220I love those sports, and I wanted to share that love with kids,” she said. &#8220And I tried to make it clear to them that I expected them to volunteer to coach when they grow up so that they could pass this love of sports and exercise on.”

Presently, Ripley said she is most excited about the Mat-Su Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition, which she chairs.

&#8220If we can make a dent in (the substance abuse) problem locally, every organization, business, government agency, school, neighborhood and family in Mat-Su wins. Think of the potential impacts - all good. I find that incredibly motivating and worthwhile,” she said.

According to Parks, the challenges facing the Valley with regard to substance abuse are great. But for Ripley, they are not overwhelming.

&#8220It's scary and sometimes very intimidating. But hope drives us to press onward and chip away at this vast problem, which touches all of us, whether we realize it or not,” Ripley said. &#8220And I know from basketball that you can chip away at the score when you're behind and actually win the game. It's very exciting.”

United Way of Mat-Su established the Dorothy A. Jones Volunteer of the Year Award in 1992 to honor the memory of Dorothy Jones, a community leader whose service United Way officials say helped to improve the quality of life for Mat-Su residents. Like Ripley, Jones served United Way for many years.

The organization seeks to improve the lives of borough residents with a variety of tactics, from funding partner agencies to facilitating between diverse groups to create coalitions for change. United Way Mat-Su, an autonomous local affiliate of the national United Way organization, grew out of residents' desire for a more effective way to provide health, welfare and other services to the community.

Contact Will Elliott at 352-2252 or will.elliott@frontiersman.com.