AARP Massachusetts Honors East Longmeadow Resident Susan Jaye-Kaplan with Andrus Award for Community Service

Boston – Susan Jaye-Kaplan has been selected by AARP, the nonprofit organization for people 50 and older, to receive the 2018 AARP Massachusetts Andrus Award for Community Service -- the Association’s most prestigious and visible state volunteer award.

 

AARP Massachusetts selected Jaye-Kaplan for her remarkable service which has greatly benefited her community, supported AARP’s vision and mission, and inspired other volunteers.

 

Jaye-Kaplan has richly contributed to her community of East Longmeadow and improved the quality of life through her volunteer work. She is the Founder of Pioneer Valley Women’s Running Club and the Founder of Go FIT, Inc., and co-founder of Link to Libraries, Inc., an organization whose mission is to collect and distribute books to public elementary schools and non-profit organizations in western MA and CT.

 

In addition, Jaye-Kaplan has been featured in Running for the Woman’s Soul, Rodale Press, and Run For Your Life by Deborah Reber, The Strong Woman’s Journal, by Miriam Nelson, PhD, Healthcare News of Western Massachusetts, August 2006 and Runner’s World Magazine, August 2006 where she was featured as a person doing remarkable things for community. She worked part-time as a consultant for the Donahue Institute / University of Massachusetts Boston. She is passionate about integrating her principles of social responsibility with her work and volunteerism.  She is married to Stephen G. Kaplan for 53 years and the mother of two adult children and two granddaughters age 13 and 17.

 

The award was formally presented to Jaye-Kaplan at a ceremony on Thursday, November 8, 2018 at the Delaney House in Holyoke, MA.

 

“This award acts as a symbol to the public that we can all work together for positive social change,” says Mike Festa, AARP Massachusetts State Director.  “AARP has long valued the spirit of volunteerism and the important contributions volunteers make to their communities, neighbors, and the programs they serve.”

 

The AARP Andrus Award for Community Service is an annual awards program developed to honor individuals whose service is a unique and valuable contribution to society.  Last year, AARP recognized 51 outstanding individuals and couples from around the country.