Northwest Arkansas Food Bank’s Volunteer of the Year Tommy Wilson of Elkins helps load boxes of food

Tommy Wilson doesn’t like calling attention to himself, but his volunteer work for the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank drew the attention of Trina Wilson, Food Bank volunteer coordinator.

During the recent Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, Trina Wilson, no relation, named Tommy Wilson as the Volunteer of the Year for his work with the senior mobile food pantry.“Tommy’s a lifesaver,” said Trina Wilson. “He helped me learn about the operation (of the senior mobile food pantry) when I came to the Food Bank 10 months ago.

The operation of the mobile pantry has completely changed since she came aboard, but Tommy has just gone with the flow. He helps at the mobile sites in Fayetteville, Huntsville and Elkins on a monthly basis. Trina Wilson spoke highly of all her volunteers who come and help with the Food Bank’s operations. “I couldn’t do all of it without them,” she said of the more than 2,000 volunteers who help throughout the year. For example, Walmart employees have been helping with the senior mobile pantry for six or seven years. They used to box up the food on site but that is now done at the Food Bank warehouse. They show up every month to work, she pointed out.

“It’s one of the things I love about working at the Food Bank,” she said. “It’s like going on a mission trip. It’s great to see people interact with each other to make life better.” Tommy Wilson has been helping with the mobile food panty for the past five years. “I needed to do something for somebody,” said Wilson about his work with the Food Bank. “Helping people is part of that. I do things for people in need,” he added. Wilson, who is retired, worked in maintenance for Exxon for 26 years and for 21 years on the Greenville, Miss., Fire Department. A Christian, Wilson is a deacon at his church, the Crystal Hills Family Fellowship in Elkins. After he retired, he moved to Elkins, where he used to come on vacations. “I like the people,” he said. People around here are totally different than other places where he lived. “Elkins is our Mayberry,” Wilson said.

He and his wife, Joyce, will celebrate their 50th anniversary on Dec. 22. They have two children, Buddy and his wife, Jenny, live in Hattiesburg, Miss., and daughter Kim and husband, Michael, live in Lowell with their two children. An Army veteran, Wilson enjoys woodworking and creating rustic furniture.

Other volunteer awards presents at the appreciation breakfast were:

Got Thyme Award -- Bill Hammond, Savannah King and the Latter Day Saints.

Heart of Gold Award -- Penny and Kristen Kvello, Debra Lewis and Diana Eikenberry.

Commitmint Award -- Steve Parker, Brenda Beam-Ihry (Direct Imports-Walmart Team) and Harriet Mack (First United Methodist-Rogers team).