Joyce Rudolph
Giving freely of time and talents without thinking of the return is
how Florence Nos believes volunteers should approach their work.
Nos was named Woman of the Year on Nov. 13 at a tea by The Zonta Club
of Burbank Area at the First United Methodist Church of Burbank.
After receiving the honor, Nos said the volunteer spirit came to her
after watching her grandmother, mother and father.
The rewards of one's endeavors, she said, will come someday but should
not be the motivation behind them.
"You will be rewarded and today is the day (for me) and thank you very
much," Nos said.
Zonta President Julie Modglin told the 180 people in attendance that
Zonta recognizes leaders and projects providing service to humanity
through cooperative efforts. Zonta has served the Burbank area for more
than 63 years. "For We Believe that true leadership is vision expanded
into Action," Modglin said.
The club's motto, Vision Expanded Into Action, was created by leaders
of the now disbanded Women's Council of Burbank, which founded in 1949
and ran the awards program until Zonta picked up the project four years
ago, according to Lee Bellis, chairwoman.
Nos showed outstanding leadership in all five possible categories,
Civic Achievement, Cultural Awareness, Educational Advancement, Religious
Activity and Society Welfare. She also received one of the five
categorical awards, the Civic Achievement honor.
Some of her volunteer responsibilities are serving as a board member
of the Burbank Leadership organization, a community development program
that includes education, business and economic development. She helps
people from the Hispanic and Vietnamese communities of St. Finbar Church
integrate into American life. She also is involved in the Time to Read
Program, tutoring sixth-grade students once a week to improve their
reading skills.
Other award winners were Gwen Flynn for Cultural Awareness; Lynda
Willner and Wendy Vecchiarelli, who tied for Educational Advancement;
Brenda Lantieri, Religious Activity; and Vilma Barron for Social Welfare.
Vecchiarelli told the group she learned volunteerism by example from
her mother. Lynda Willner felt the same, saying her mom and dad had
instilled volunteering early in their family's life, her dad donating
skin to a burn victim.
Vilma Barron thanked her whole family for supporting her volunteer
endeavors.
Gwen Flynn served as president of the Human Relations Council for the
1997-98 year. She is founding chair of the Burbank Neighbors in Dialogue
