It started with motherhood: Bobbie Baird, retired executive secretary for the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce, was characteristically helping out at a recent chamber gathering when she was named Citizen of the Year.
Since 1974, the chamber has bestowed an annual Citizen of the Year Award on someone whose community involvement and concern have made a positive impact on New Lenox, according to Marilyn Farmer, Baird’s successor as the chamber’s executive director.
Her volunteer credentials start with what may be the ultimate volunteer job, being a mom.
As her three sons were growing up, she plunged into the whirl of activities typical of growing families: pitching in at school, working with Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, serving as baseball team mom and joining the Lincoln-Way High School Band Boosters. Helping out came naturally.
“I thought everyone did that,” she said.
Baird has been a driving force behind a number of traditional community events, such as the New Lenox Park District Antique Show, the Old Campground Festival, Old-Fashioned Christmas Tree Decorating Contest, the Business Expo and Proud American Days Festival.
“What is most admirable is her humanitarian spirit,” Farmer said. “Bobbie could have a dozen committee or service-related meetings planned in a day and attend all of them, but she would always make the time to visit or make a phone call to a friend in the hospital.”
The New Lenox Chamber of Commerce will host a dinner-dance in Baird’s honor at 7 p.m. Oct. 18 at Harry Anderson Post 9545 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 323 Old Hickory Rd., New Lenox. For tickets, call the New Lenox Chamber of Commerce at 815-485-4241 by Monday.