Barbara Zawila lives united by connecting with her fellow brothers and sisters of the community. Volunteer Connection is pleased to name Barbara as the Community Volunteer of the Month for September.

Barbara is the President of the St. Vincent de Paul Conference with the St. Luke Church in Beavercreek, a role which she embraces as a full-time position. The St. Vincent de Paul Conference is a faith-based organization that is devoted to assisting members of the community who have fallen on hard times.  Conference members work to improve the lives of others by granting requests such as visiting the sick and shut-in, providing groceries to the hungry, arranging transportation needs, and assiting wtih utility payments.

A member of the Mid-East Region Conference, Barbara became President in 1995. For the past 15 years, her focal point has been to gather as much information and support as possible in order to service the larger needs of the community.  Barbara knew as a young girl that her purpose in life was to help others.  "How can we not help those in need in our community?" she asks. "We were put on this earth for a purpose."

Barbara is a caring and devoted woman who assists between 15 to 25 families every month. She is in charge of handling food and clothing donations at her church and food donations from St. Luke School in Beavercreek, and she works with St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store on Edwin C. Moses Blvd. Barbara also collects and distributes fruits and vegetables grown by members of her church. In 2009, approximately 700 pounds of produce were distributed due to their efforts; so far this year, about 500 pounds have already been collected.

"It is not your words, but your actions that inspire others," says Bernice Brett when referring to the extraordinary care and giving spirit of Barbara. Bernice has had the opportunity in working with Barbara while employed as the Supervisor of the Project TOTAL Program at Greene Metropolitan Housing Authority from 1999-2010.

Those who know Barbara refer to her as the kindest woman they have ever met. In addtion to volunteering with St. Vincent de Paul, Barbara is a part of the Interfaith Hospital Network, a volunteer at Hospitality Home East, and she also interacts with the students at St. Luke School. She enjoys speding time with her  four children and nine grandchildren.

United Way's Volunteer Connection is pround to recognize Barbara Zawila as our Community Volunteer of the Month.



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