On Dec. 14, the Tillicum Chapter of Daughter of the American Revolution awarded Mr. Richard Body of Des Moines the DAR Community Service Award for 2015.
 
Mr. Body has been called a 'Super Volunteer' by the South King County Fire and Rescue.  Mr. Body was being acknowledged, for his service to this country while being a member of the military, for his thoughtful interactions with Meals on Wheels clients, his accomplishments a  Volunteer fireman, and for his volunteering at the Des Moines Senior Center Legacy Foundation.
 
Friend Dona Ozier said, "Dick has a big heart...Every Thursday he visits my mother, arriving in his bright red sports car with a wonderful smile and a story to tell. My mom and her caregiver, Candace Lee, always look forward to seeing him. I know he has the weight of caring for his wife who has dementia and he does it all with love."

Candace Lee, Caregiver for Betty Ozier, said "Dick is tireless in his dedication to the seniors.  For some, the Meals on Wheels program is their only source of good nutrition.  He acts as their advocate, he checks on their health and living condition.  Where warranted, he connects them with the proper community resource , takes them to their doctor where he will wait even if it takes hours of waiting and for some he visits them in the hospital.  He never complains."

Melodie Schneider, Chairman of the Community Service Committee, said in her nomination letter that Dick worked for the Post Office for 26 years.  Upon retirement, he decided he was going to be focused on giving back to his community.  From 1981 - 1988,  Mr. Body served as a volunteer firefighter for the South King County Fire & Rescue. Now at age 80, he still oversees the care of the department's 1941 Chevy fire pumper and drives it in parades; he delivers interdepartmental mail to all eight stations weekly; he delivers food for the Community Meals on Wheels Program.

Up until recently, he was  the driver for the Des Moines Senior Center shuttle and Melodie added, "... that although Dick now divides some of his time volunteering with helping to take care of his wife, he still does his utmost to give as much of his time as he is able to serving others."