Nellie Monteith just won the prestigious Jefferson Award for her tireless, selfless volunteer work. Click on the icon to see Randy Beamer's story and the award presentation.
Nellie Monteith has worked as a volunteer for the Christian Women's Job Corps of San Antonio for nearly 11 years.
She had retired from decades at SBC (now AT&T) on a Friday and by Tuesday was volunteering full-time.
She would have started that Monday, but it was the President's Day holiday so she had to wait.
"And I've been here since then. I didn't have time to take a break. The Lord didn't let me take a break," she laughs.
The Christian Women's Job Corps helps women of all ages with training in everything from basic job skills to life skills.
"Never think that you're too old to learn," Monteith tells the students. "Because you aren't. I was in my mid-40's when I started college."
One of those students, Jacklyn Trejo calls Monteith "a very sweet lady. She's very energetic, always here and ready to help us in whatever way we need help."
"Nellie has been a Godsend to this ministry," says Dan Trevino, the Executive Director of the Christian Women's Job Corps.
"She's kept us afloat ... when it comes to materials, pens, pencils, paper, computer equipment.She helps us with our budget planning and advisory council. She'll put presentations together for us. She's done just a little bit of everything."
"It's a blessing to see these women grow," Monteith says. "It builds their self esteem, showing them what are the roadblocks how can I overcome roadblocks."
Encarnacion Riojas is one of those students who has faced roadblocks and been helped by Monteith's guidance.
"She's on it," Riojas says. "I had shared with her that I needed help with my light bill, and at the end of the day she had numbers for me to call. She's just she's real good at sharing what she knows."
"We could have paid her," Trevino tells me. "We offered to, but she didn't want to. For her, that's her heart. Nellie has a true servant's heart."
"I'm a volunteer," she says simply. "I'm a volunteer."
Trevino says she's a great role model for everyone. "Retirement age doesn't mean you stop and go home and not do... If you choose to live life and be happy with it, find something to do with it. And I think Nellie's found some rewards in this. She's really blessed a lot of women."
"I get out of it a fulfillment, using the talents that The Lord has given me," she says. "And it makes a difference in their lives. Each person needs to find out what is it that they can do. And help someone else. It doesn't have to be the whole city. It's a one on one sometimes. What can you do to help someone."
