Breta Kinkade strives to serve community

Amy Hansen

Nov. 9, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- At 91, Breta Kinkade has done a lot of volunteering in her lifetime, and, she said, enjoyed every second of it.

"It's always been really important to me, it's always been a part of my life," Kinkade said. "I was always anxious to help people.

As the recipient of Creston's Volunteer of the Year, Kinkade has a long list of volunteer experience. For more than 35 years, Kinkade has been involved in various senior citizen and community activities.

At the Creston Meal Site, Kinkade served on the advisory council and worked on site registration, fundraising efforts, meal deliveries, bookeeping and was chairwoman of the governing site council for five years.

Kinkade said she believes she has done important work such as serving from 1989 to 1993 on the Elected Older Iowa Legislature representing Union and Adair counties.

"Being an older Iowan legislator, I had a lot of interaction with older people," Kinkade said.

In 1995, Congressman Jim Lightfoot asked Kinkade to represent southwest Iowa at the White House Council on Aging in Washington, D.C.

Kinkade has also served three years on Southwest Iowa Transportation Board and Meals on Wheels Board of Directors from 1973 until its dissolution this year.

Service

Kinkade has been on the Area XIV Agency on Aging Board of Directors for the past four years.

"She's always represented the seniors very well and been very concerned with making sure they're represented in board policy decisions," said Area XIV Agency on Aging Executive Director Steve Bolie.

For her contributions, Area XIV designated a volunteer award and named it in honor of Kinkade. Kinkade was also the first recipient of what will now be known as the Breta Kinkade Distinguished Volunteer Service Award.

"I think through her abiding service," Bolie said, "she's always been present and watched out for seniors who otherwise might be overlooked."

Kinkade said she was pleasantly surprised by the accolade.

"I didn't expect it," she said, "but I thought it was pretty nice."

Newstex ID: KRTB-0414-39571495