But after a lifetime of volunteering, it still surprised Blanche Bosteder to learn she was being recognized for it.

“I was in such a dumb shock,” she said, upon arriving to the ceremony after family members brought her there under false pretenses. “I went in, and the place was full of people.”

But with a lot of service under her belt over 52 years living in Eagle Grove, it was less of a surprise to those who know Bosteder, 81.

“She’s just a real active lady,” said Mike Boyd, vice president of Foundation for the Future, which presents the annual award. “A good example for everyone.”

Boyd said Bosteder stood out for quite some time as an active local for the award given to those who volunteer their time to help others and better their community.

A native of Vermillion, South Dakota, Bosteder said the attitude was instilled in her early on.

“Everything I volunteer for, it’s a needed project,” she said.

After working a career in retail that took her several places, including Zales Jewelry in Fort Dodge, she settled in Eagle Grove to manage the TG & Y store.

From Meals on Wheels to the Rotary Auxiliary to the Eagle Grove United Methodist Church, there seems to be little volunteer work left unturned by the award’s winner.

“There’s a lot of work out there that volunteer people can do,” she said. “There’s a million things you can do.”

In the pandemic, when volunteers of the age group that tends to raise their hand the most are in shorter supply, the work she does is, no doubt, in even more precious supply in helping non-profits and community institutions continue their missions.

But knowing that she can be recognized for making a difference makes it worth while, she said.

“When I can walk down Main Street or anywhere in Eagle Grove and people know you, it’s kind of nice to be recognized for efforts to keep your town clean and help where you can,” Bosteder said.