When ACE says we have long-term volunteers, we are not joking! Many of you have met Arlene from New Jersey, but did you know this friend of ACE just turned 80?! And she is still going strong, the most young-at-heart go-getter we know. 

We met Arlene when she came with her church team from Bethel Baptist about 13 years ago. She arrived on the island ready to do “whatever,” as she says. Since then, she’s returned nearly every year since, with teams and on her own, staying for months at a time in every season.

Arlene has been one of the most loyal volunteers on the ground, especially helping in our Educational Impact area. For years, she has taken all the student pictures for school, organized the book bag distribution with our staff, and systematically kept all this incredible information in our database for quick reference. Note that all of us hate the admin part, but Arlene loves it – sounds like a teacher? Well, she used to be, and, in our eyes, still is a teacher to all of us.

Thank you, Arlene, for never really retiring and always working hard, being a great influence for those of us heading to 80 but not quite there yet. You are truly serving with a purpose.