Outstanding seniors never stop giving

By MaryHelen Swanson
Joining the Outstanding Senior Citizens for their annual banquet before the county fair awards is always enjoyable and exhausting. Exhausting it is when one listens to all the volunteer work still being done by people over the age of 65.
This yearís Outstanding Senior Citizens are Shirley Mollan of Chisago City and Clark Malcomson of Center City.
To be eligible for nomination to this award, a person must be a resident of Minnesota, must attain the age of 70 by Aug. 1, and can be nominated only for volunteer activities after the age of 65.
Shirley Mollan
Shirley Mollan, 73, married to Vern, has been a homemaker and volunteer for a long time.
She was nominated by Ray and Dory Johnson.
Mollan, whose nickname is ìSunshineî has an extensive list of volunteer activities to her name, including a two-week stint on St. Thomas, Virgin Islands, following Hurricane Marilyn, cleaning up debris and assisting residents in getting resettled.
She served one week with Habitat for Humanity in Mississippi Delta building homes, then returned to Mississippi Delta to help rebuild a burned-out church.
She worked with Lutheran Disaster Response two weeks in Cuero, Texas, after flash flooding of the Guadeloupe River.
As part of Tapestry of Life Ministry, she worked one week in mission work in Fabens, Texas and Juarez, Mexico.
Volunteering through Lutheran Social Services, Mollan worked at the Repeatable store one day a week and modeled in the 1989 vintage Style Show to raise money for LSS.
She helped clean up in Siren, Wisc. after the tornado, was a bell ringer for the Salvation Army in Chisago and Lindstrom, and has delivered Meals on Wheels once a month for 15 years, eight since turning 65.
She has delivered holiday meals for the Little Brothers of the Elderly, been a greeter and registrar at the Chisago Community Center for six years for the bloodmobile, and helps at her church, Trinity Lutheran of Lindstrom, with funerals, newsletters, sings in the choir, is on the prayer chain and works with the winter coat distribution.
She has helped prepare and serve community holiday dinners at Trinity Lutheran and First Methodist churches and has helped with fund-raising dinners (twice a year) for six years for the Parmly Home.
She personally bakes bunny cakes for Easter and delivers them to shut-ins and other deserving people. Since turning 65, she has baked and delivered 135 cakes.
She has received a gold medal in the Lindstrom Loppet 5K race, also.
In their letter of nomination, the Johnsons (they actually nominated both of the Mollans) said, ìThe Mollanís time is always based on otherís needs instead of their own, and it matters not whether these people live in our county, state or even in other countries.î
In a letter of support for their nomination, from Gary Moe, he said, ìThe Mollans demonstrate the love of Christ to people they meet.î
For their work with disaster victims in Texas, Shirley and husband, Vern have been called ìAngels from Minnesota.î

Clark Malcomson
Clark Malcomson was nominated to be the male Outstanding Senior Citizen for 2003 by Violet Strand.
Malcomson, a former teacher in the Chisago Lakes School District, and his wife, Marguerite, live in Center City.
In her letter of nomination, Strand noted that as director of Community Education, Malcomson provides seniors with continuing education on daily subjects - better reading, (program one-on-one), better living (dance classes), good food classes, money programs, planning for retirement, etc.
Strand said Malcomson is helpful to everyone who requests something and that he appreciates suggestions.
ìHe is a modest man that accomplishes much,î she said, adding, ìneed I say more?î
Malcomson is an active member of the Chisago Lakes Lions and puts in 50-100 hours of service a year. Every year he helps pick up garbage on Hwy. 8 from Lindstrom to Chisago City, he helped develop and helps maintain the Lions Club Community Park. He also built a little bridge to the lake and made picnic tables.
He is on the advisory board for Parmly senior housing, helps plan the Friends of Parmly golf tournaments and participates in the events each year. He also is a volunteer for the ham dinner for Parmly in spring, the spaghetti dinner in fall and sells tickets for events that benefit senior residents.
Malcomson is vice-commander at American Legion Post #83 and helps put up flags on Memorial days at four cemeteries.
As Community Ed director, he helped develop Meals on Wheels, is a volunteer driver once a month, and has helped develop programs for adult education.
A member of Trinity Lutheran Church, Lindstrom, he serves on the council and property committee. He helped purchase and set up a computer/telephone system and does repair and maintenance work at church.
For the past three years, he and his wife and two grandsons have participated in the loon monitoring program. It involves counting loons on three small lakes during the moulting season. He is an Audubon Society member and tends a booth at the State Fair.
Malcomson also received a Chisago County conservation award for 2001.

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