Through the years: After years of volunteering for chamber, Beck ‘retires’
MEL TOADVINE Chamber volunteer Lynn Beck shows off one of the scrapbooks of news events that she has collected.
Lynn Beck says it is time for her to slow down, so this is her last week serving as a volunteer for the Greater Area Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce.
The 84-year-old “power house volunteer,” who has given of her time on Wednesdays for the past 28 years, ended her career with the chamber today, Dec. 21.
There are few who do not know Beck. She practically knows every aspect of the chamber and has probably answered thousands of questions from chamber visitors.
“I’ve volunteered under the directorship of eight executive directors of the chamber since 1988, when I became a volunteer,” Beck said.
They included Gene Anderson, Joan Ferster, Stephanie Ostrowski, Deb Schuman, Ollie Conover, Joe Whaley, Gary Bright and most recently Inke Baker.
“Inke did such a great work with our chamber. She knew so much and was able to really make our chamber well-known,” Beck said.
She said the chamber was once located in the former Goldome Savings Bank, then it moved into a room at SunTrust. Next, it moved to a house on Lee Boulevard. The chamber needed more room again, so it moved to its present location at the Lehigh Towne Center.
Beck started volunteering for the chamber after she was told it needed someone who could type.
“You know that was the days before computers,” she joked.
Beck applied and was accepted. She has served with numerous volunteers over the years.
Beck learned how to bill members for their fees, and she also became responsible for maintaining the books, magazines and literature that came to the chamber.
Originally from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area, she now lives in Lehigh with one of her daughters. She has another child in Lehigh and one in Kansas City, Kansas.
“I am also the grandmother of two and have five great-grandchildren, and yes I can remember all their names,”?Beck said.
She is well-known as the volunteer who keeps two scrapbooks up-to-date with all of the news items published in the local media.
“That was something we began years ago. Each year at the gala held in January, I would present one of the scrapbooks to the outgoing chairman of the executive committee,” Beck said. “It was a great way for him or her to recall the happenings of the chamber over the time that was served.”
The chamber currently has 16 volunteers – not nearly enough, according to Beck.
“Now they’re going to need a Wednesday replacement,” she said. “I usually volunteer the four hours in the afternoon. Whoever fills the position will have to have some computer skills.”
Charlie Jones, another chamber volunteer, is probably the next in line to retire from volunteering.
“There have been many, but a lot of them have passed away,” Beck said.
Over the years, many of the people who stopped by the chamber wanted help finding a lot they owned or a lot they inherited.
“I refer them to three Realtors in town who will help. It is our policy to select three to be fair,” she said.
Beck has enjoyed the nearly three decades of volunteering, and she recommends it for anyone who wants to give back to Lehigh Acres and get to know a lot about it.
“It’s an ideal place to volunteer,” she said.
The chamber, at 25 Homestead Road N., is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
Through the years: After years of volunteering for chamber, Beck ‘retires’
MEL TOADVINE Chamber volunteer Lynn Beck shows off one of the scrapbooks of news events that she has collected.
Lynn Beck says it is time for her to slow down, so this is her last week serving as a volunteer for the Greater Area Lehigh Acres Chamber of Commerce.
The 84-year-old “power house volunteer,” who has given of her time on Wednesdays for the past 28 years, ended her career with the chamber today, Dec. 21.
There are few who do not know Beck. She practically knows every aspect of the chamber and has probably answered thousands of questions from chamber visitors.
“I’ve volunteered under the directorship of eight executive directors of the chamber since 1988, when I became a volunteer,” Beck said.
They included Gene Anderson, Joan Ferster, Stephanie Ostrowski, Deb Schuman, Ollie Conover, Joe Whaley, Gary Bright and most recently Inke Baker.
“Inke did such a great work with our chamber. She knew so much and was able to really make our chamber well-known,” Beck said.
She said the chamber was once located in the former Goldome Savings Bank, then it moved into a room at SunTrust. Next, it moved to a house on Lee Boulevard. The chamber needed more room again, so it moved to its present location at the Lehigh Towne Center.
Beck started volunteering for the chamber after she was told it needed someone who could type.
“You know that was the days before computers,” she joked.
Beck applied and was accepted. She has served with numerous volunteers over the years.
Beck learned how to bill members for their fees, and she also became responsible for maintaining the books, magazines and literature that came to the chamber.
Originally from the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area, she now lives in Lehigh with one of her daughters. She has another child in Lehigh and one in Kansas City, Kansas.
“I am also the grandmother of two and have five great-grandchildren, and yes I can remember all their names,”?Beck said.
She is well-known as the volunteer who keeps two scrapbooks up-to-date with all of the news items published in the local media.
“That was something we began years ago. Each year at the gala held in January, I would present one of the scrapbooks to the outgoing chairman of the executive committee,” Beck said. “It was a great way for him or her to recall the happenings of the chamber over the time that was served.”
The chamber currently has 16 volunteers – not nearly enough, according to Beck.
“Now they’re going to need a Wednesday replacement,” she said. “I usually volunteer the four hours in the afternoon. Whoever fills the position will have to have some computer skills.”
Charlie Jones, another chamber volunteer, is probably the next in line to retire from volunteering.
“There have been many, but a lot of them have passed away,” Beck said.
Over the years, many of the people who stopped by the chamber wanted help finding a lot they owned or a lot they inherited.
“I refer them to three Realtors in town who will help. It is our policy to select three to be fair,” she said.
Beck has enjoyed the nearly three decades of volunteering, and she recommends it for anyone who wants to give back to Lehigh Acres and get to know a lot about it.
“It’s an ideal place to volunteer,” she said.
The chamber, at 25 Homestead Road N., is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday.
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