Volunteering takes a special type of person. A person willing to devote many hours to a variety of causes without compensation other than the respect and gratitude of the recipients.

Des Moines resident and current community service award winner Caro Lee Powell Davis is that type of person. As web master and chapter registrar of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Carol graciously accepted the National Society award at Angelo's Restaurant in Burien last week.

The DAR (Tillicum chapter) is a lineal based organization of women who are descendants of soldiers or others of the American Revolution. Founded in 1890, the organization has more than 180,000 members. The goals of the organization are historical, education and patriotic.

Davis, born in Seattle, attended the UW, obtaining a degree in Home Economics. She taught at Renton High School while her husband worked at Boeing. She raised three children. Volunteering did not interfere with her love of skiing and especially biking. Carol has biked through Europe and Canada and all around the Northwest. Additionally, Carol founded an all women investment group called Diversified Divas, eventually allowing men to participate once they had "held their own" financially.

When not spending summers on Lake Lucerne in Maple Valley, Carol uses her available time at Children's Hospital where she is involved with animal assisted activities, art and music therapy and the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Unit.

Carol is active in the Des Moines Historical Society and has published three books on genealogy.

The Des Moines area Food Bank was her main focus until her recent retirement. She was executive director for 13 years. She continues as Administrative Director at United Methodist Church, working with other volunteers to develop church programs.

Bonnie Cervino, publicist, alerted the media to the Angelo's event to present Carol her award. Margaret Young, Regent, introduced Carol in a glowing speech about Carol's contributions. Bill Knudsen gave a talk about the Honor Flight Program for WWII veterans. Honor Flight takes WWII veterans back to DC, free of charge, for 3 days to see the veteran’s monuments.

The Tillicum Chapter service area includes the communities of Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent (West Hill only), Normandy Park, Renton, Sea-Tac, Seattle (West Seattle only), Tukwila and White Center. The Tillicum Chapter was organized on January 20, 1963. For more information, contact Carol Davis at bikercarol@comcast.net