Longtime Food Finders volunteer Dinah McClure was given the Golden Hoosier Award by Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith at a ceremony at the Indiana Statehouse.
Establishment in 2008, the Golden Hoosier Award is the highest honor bestowed upon a senior citizen in Indiana. Awarded by the Lt. Governor, it “acknowledges and recognizes outstanding individuals ages 65 and over for their service and commitment to their communities” and “aims to celebrate the unsung heroes whose contributions have significantly impacted the lives of others and the community fabric.”
“I am very honored that Food Finders chose to nominate me,” said McClure. "There are so many other volunteers who do as much, if not more than I do. I know I am not the only one working hard.”
“Dinah is the living embodiment of Food Finders' values,” said Food Finders President/CEO Kier Crites Muller. “She exemplifies serving with dignity, compassion, understanding, and non-judgement, all of which are a welcome respite from the norm for our neighbor's seeking assistance.”
In 2020, Dinah McClure retired from a long career at Purdue University, culminating in a final 14 years at the College of Agriculture. She chose to spend her retirement continuing to better her community. She was familiar with Food Finders through the food drives held at the College of Agriculture. Since she first began volunteering in 2020, McClure has spent around 1,750 hours giving back across 730 shifts. That equates to nearly 73 days. On a weekly basis, you will find her sorting and bagging food on Monday mornings at the Katy Bunder Food Education and Resource Center. Then, every Tuesday and Thursday morning, you can find her “checking out” our neighbors with a smile as an expert cashier at our Fresh Market, Food Finder’s “grocery-store-style" pantry.
“Dinah McClure has always gone above and beyond, not just for the organization, but for the neighbors we serve at the Fresh Market,” said Joe Harper, Food Finders Director of the
Fresh Market and Volunteer Engagement. “Dinah's impact is very tangible,” he explained. “Neighbors wait longer in her checkout line, because they want to see her and catch up with her. She has genuine relationships with those that we serve.”
