Celebrate senior volunteers at Grand Junction BeaconFest

Announcing the Volunteer of the Year Join us in honoring senior volunteers at the main stage at 1 p.m.

Volunteers strengthen our community by giving their time, talents, experience and hearts to local causes. And who makes up many of those dedicated volunteers? Seniors.

That’s why BEACON Senior News is proud to give local organizations the opportunity to recognize outstanding senior volunteers at BeaconFest through our Volunteer of the Year award, presented on the main stage at 1 p.m.

HOW IT WORKS
Each February, we invite local nonprofits to nominate an exceptional individual or volunteer team for recognition in our monthly magazine and on stage at Grand Junction BeaconFest. The nominees are featured in our March issue, along with a photo and story highlighting their contributions. With so many inspiring volunteers in our community, we turn to BEACON readers to help choose the Volunteer of the Year.

HONORING VOLUNTEERS
They may not volunteer for the applause, but they certainly deserve our thanks. Join us as we recognize these remarkable senior volunteers for the difference they make in the lives of others and in our community. All nominated volunteers will be recognized on stage and receive awards, followed by the announcement of the reader-selected Volunteer of the Year. Come meet these inspiring volunteers at BeaconFest. They just might motivate you to get involved, too. ■

In 2025, BEACON readers chose Elaine Taylor of the Good Samaritan Free Clinic of Western Colorado as our Volunteer of the Year. As the clinic’s volunteer executive director, Elaine was commended for giving countless hours of her time to help make care possible for uninsured, underinsured, undocumented and underserved residents. She recruited volunteers, including board members, clinicians, nurses and receptionists, and stepped in wherever help was needed to keep the clinic running smoothly.