A Senior Who Will Never Retire From Helping Others

At 83, Marion Edwards may walk a little slower than she did a few years ago. She's not going to slow down, though.

Mondays, she works at the front desk at Reston Interfaith's At various other points during the week, she volunteers with Traveler's Aid at Dulles International Airport, helping patients in the waiting room at and ushering for events at Wolftrap National Park for the Performing Arts. She also has a pet-sitting business called Bow Wow Meow.

The staff at the shelter nominated Edwards, who has worked at the shelter for 13 years, for a Volunteer Fairfax award. She is a candidate in both the Senior Division and the Benchmark 1000 (hours).  The winners will be announced at Volunteer Fairfax's annual breakfast on April 14.

"Marion is such a reliable volunteer," said Susan Alger, Embry Rucker's volunteer manager. "She keeps the front desk working, and is the first face people see on that day when they come to the shelter. Clients know they can come to her. She shows grace under pressure. This is not always the easiest environment to work in."

Edwards said volunteering is important to her "because this country has done so much for me. I wanted to pay back."

Edwards came to the United States as a girl fleeing Nazi Germany. She lived in New York City, and met her husband, the late Donald Edwards, while she was working as a librarian in the New York City Public Library system.

Donald Edwards entered the foreign service, and the couple lived in Africa for many years, taking assignments in Liberia, the Congo, Uganda and Kenya. Marion Edwards taught English overseas.

The couple moved to Reston in 1972, and Donald Edwards died in 1977. Marion Edwards then worked in the map library at the U.S. Geological Survey for 25 years. She retired in 1996.

"I started working at the shelter because one of the USGS employees worked there," Edwards said. "Also, my husband lived to help people."

Edwards has a similar philosphy, whether it is helping travelers at Dulles find their luggage or concertgoers at Wolftrap find their seats.

Edwards said she is looking forward to the upcoming Wolftrap season.

"I just worked the show for the group Schooner Fare at The Barns [of Wolftrap]" she says. "I had never heard of them, and I really liked their sea shanties. Bill Cosby is coming to Wolftrap this season. Fiddler on the Roof is one of my favorites."

Even though the big picture includes so many hours, it is the little things that make a difference to people, Edwards said.

She told the story of a woman who landed at Dulles after a flight from Asia. She put a $20 bill in a machine to get a travel card, but the machine ate her money instead.  The woman did not speak English, but Edwards saw the woman crying that she lost her money.

"I gave her $20," said Edwards. "I never got it back, but that doesn't matter. I felt so sorry for her. That is a lot of money for me, but she needed it more."