Lansing Resident Wins Prestigious AARP Andrus Award

Carl Kentner of Lansing has been awarded the 2022 AARP Michigan Andrus Award, the organization’s most prestigious state volunteer award for community service. Named after AARP founder Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, the award recognizes outstanding individuals age 50 and older who share their experience, talents and skills to enrich the lives of others and inspire volunteerism. 

For 25 years, the now 100-year-old Kentner served as a volunteer docent/tour guide in the Michigan State Capitol where he delighted scores of third and fourth-grade students with facts about the building’s history. With each tour, he shared personal accounts of his service in the Navy during World War II, imparting an impassioned message of service to country.

Kenter’s volunteerism included regularly conducting several one-hour tours in a day during which he would climb 91 steps with each tour. He only recently retired from this role, though his tireless spirit and legend live on amongst current ranks of Capitol volunteers who rally to the mantra that “If Carl can do it, we can surely do it.”

The Andrus Award is presented annually by AARP to one Michigander.