Mary Maarbjerg of Stamford Receives AARP’s Highest Volunteer Honor in Connecticut

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Andrus Award for Community Service Honors Outstanding Volunteers Age 50-Plus

AARP Connecticut honored Mary Maarbjerg of Stamford as the recipient of the 2016 Andrus Award for Community Service for her outstanding volunteerism and

commitment to the community at a formal presentation on Wednesday, Dec. 14, at the Neighbors Link Stamford facility.

The AARP State Andrus Award for Community Service is an annual awards program developed to honor individuals whose service is a unique and valuable contribution to society. The award is named for AARP founder, Ethel Percy Andrus, whose motto “to serve, not to be served” continues to shape our work years after she founded this association to help older Americans age with dignity and purpose.

“I am thrilled and delighted to be the 2016 recipient of the Connecticut AARP Andrus Award,” said Maarbjerg. “This award acknowledges the important role of volunteers in Connecticut on behalf of all the people they help. I am only symbolic of many others like me who are hard-working, but also greatly rewarded by what they do. What you give as a volunteer is so greatly outweighed by what you get.”

In addition to the recognition, AARP Connecticut donates $3000 on behalf of the Andrus recipient to an eligible non-profit organization of their choosing. Mrs. Maarbjerg has chosen Neighbors Link Stamford, an organization focused on strengthening the whole community by actively enhancing the healthy integration of immigrants.

"We are honored to be the recipients of this wonderful donation to honor Mary and her amazing contributions to our organization and to our entire community," said Catalina Samper-Horak, executive director of Neighbors Link Stamford.

About Mary Maarbjerg
Mrs. Maarbjerg moved to Stamford in 1977 after living in Europe for 12 years. She retired from Pitney Bowes, Inc. in 2006 after a 27-year career where she was held positions of Vice President for Real Estate and Administration, Vice President Corporate Operations, and Vice President Planning and Treasurer of the company’s Financial Services Company.

She is currently on the Board and Treasurer of Neighbors Link Stamford, Early Music America and Amherst Early Music, Inc.  She formerly served as a Board member of SilverSource (providing assistance for older adults), Stamford Symphony, Visiting Nurse Association, The Dental Center of Stamford, Person-to-Person and the American Classical Orchestra. In addition, Mrs. Maarbjerg was Board member and Chair of the Stamford Partnership, an organization of business, community and government leaders.

She is currently a volunteer tax preparer and instructor through the Tax Aide program of AARP and has been a volunteer counselor for MedAssist/CHOICES, a SWCAA program to assist people with medical insurance issues, and a volunteer teacher at Neighbors Link Stamford to help prepare immigrants for citizenship. A native of Virginia, she is a graduate of Hollins University and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.  She has been married to her husband, John, for 50 years.

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