PRESDENT’S LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to PDDGER KATHLEEN COTTERLY
During the Summer meeting of the Maine Elks Association in Ellsworth, PDDGER Kathleen Cotterly was presented with a National Award in recognition of her long service to the Elkdom and her community.
At the state convention in 2021, Past State President & Drug Awareness Director Anthony Gause announced Kathleen to be the recipient of this prestigious award, but due to changes in BPOE organization at that time meant the official Certificate, and accompanying pin and challenge coin, and congratulatory letter from the President of the United States were not able to be presented.
Grand Lodge Trustee Wayne Cotterly thought it unfortunate and disappointing that the recipient would be able to be provided with the award actually be provided, so after some effort he found that the Points of Light Foundation and Americorp still offered the award. The Points of Light Foundation is a worldwide organization that exists to provide tools, insights and connections to help motivated and civic-minded people organize charitable efforts, and actively utilizes the Presidential awards program as a means to acknowledge their “success stories.” As a foundation that exists to promote charitable work Kathleen’s lifelong efforts fell right in line with their vision, and they gladly submitted the nomination on her behalf.
The Lifetime Achievement Award for Volunteerism is awarded by the President of the United States, and presented to individuals who have contributed exceptional time and energy throughout their lives toward the betterment of their community. Kathleen’s nomination documents years of service as a mentor, friend and role model to all who know her, not only in the Elks family but in several other fraternal and community organizations as well. She has been generous with her time and talents in providing guidance for youth in the Boy Scouts of America, International Order of Rainbow Girls and the International Order of De Molay.
Kathleen has been a Regular Service Volunteer at the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, logging over 800 hours serving as a patient representative, helping hospitalized veterans receive the proper care. She has also worked tirelessly to help children with cancer through her service on the Board of Directors of the Maine Children’s Cancer Program and was instrumental in the development of a Maine Elks’ program called Youthfest that ran for nine years. All this passion and effort over the years far exceeds the award’s minimum eligibility of more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service; much of which was accomplished while working full time as an airline pilot flying internationally for a professional career, and as a wife and mother for her more personal vocation.
Shown L to R: MEA Sponsor Michael Zellen joins MEA Past President Anthony Gause and Current President Sandi Anderson in presenting the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award to PDDGER Kathleen Cotterly.