AARP Massachusetts is seeking nominations for the AARP Andrus Award for Community Service. This award recognizes outstanding individuals age 50 and older who are sharing their experience, talents and skills to enrich the lives of others.

Nominees for the AARP Massachusetts Andrus Award for Community Service must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Nominees must be 50 or older
• The achievements, accomplishments or service on which nominations are based must have been performed on a volunteer basis, without pay. Volunteers receiving small stipends to cover costs associated with the volunteer activity are eligible.
• The achievements, accomplishments or service on which the nominations are based must reflect AARP’s vision and purpose (see below)
• The achievements, accomplishments or service on which the nominations are based must be replicable and inspire others to serve
• Partisan political achievements, accomplishments or service may not be considered
• Elected or appointed officials currently serving in office are not eligible
• Candidates currently campaigning for an elected office are not eligible
• Married couples or domestic partners who perform service together are eligible; however, teams are not
• The recipient does not need to be an AARP volunteer or an AARP member
• The recipient must live in the awarding state
• Previous Andrus Award recipients are not eligible
• Volunteers serving on the Andrus Award selection committee are not eligible
• AARP staff members are not eligible
• This is not a posthumous award

If you’d line to nominate someone, aarp.org/andrusaward. The deadline is July 15th.

Selection of AARP State Andrus Award for Community Service recipients will be based on answers submitted to the following questions:

• How has the nominee’s work supported AARP’s vision and purpose?
• How has the work of the nominee improved the community or enhanced the lives of its residents for which/whom the word was performed?
• What is inspiring, courageous, unusual, or innovative about the nominee’s achievement?
• How has the nominee’s work impacted other volunteers or inspired others to volunteer?

Last year’s recipient was Paul Meoni of Randolph. Paul has been active in town government for years serving as a Town Councilor, School Committee member and on the Randolph Resiliency Committee.

He is highly active at the Randolph Community Partnership, an adult education organization that offers English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) and high school equivalency (HSE) classes. He also serves on the board of South Shore Stars, a nonprofit that focuses on early childhood development on the South Shore. Meoni is active in his church, Randolph’s First Congregational Church, and the Randolph Community Band.  It was during the Height of the COVID-19 Pandemic the town of Randolph saw first-hand Paul’s work on the Medical Reserve Corps and Randolph Neighbor Brigade. Paul clocked hundreds of hours assisting people at Randolph’s covid-19 regional testing and vaccination site.

If you know someone like Paul, maybe they are this year’s Andrus Award recipient. Let AARP know. You can nominate someone here.

Deadline is July 15th.