Pam Tudryn, Governors Medallion Award Winner

Pam Tudryn, one of our superstar Family House volunteers, has been recognized as an Orange County Key Volunteer of the Year by the Triangle Nonprofit & Volunteer Leadership Center. But wait, there’s more! She was also awarded the NC GOVERNOR’s Medallion Award for Volunteer Service! Pam has become an example for others, contributing her time, skills, and positivity to enhancing the lives of those in need.

Pam's journey with Family House began after she retired from a career with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro School System, where she served as a special needs assistant. The transition from a career helping special needs kids to volunteering at SECU Family House was natural for Pam, she found a new place in supporting families facing medical challenges and we are the lucky ones to have her.

What makes Pam's story extraordinary is the timing of her entry into the volunteer community at SECU Family House. Amid the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, when many volunteers were wary of in-person volunteering, Pam stepped forward.  Her decision to start volunteering in the middle of the pandemic where our needs were high and volunteers were scarce, shows that she was a different kind of volunteer.

What also sets Pam apart is her willingness to come every day to Family House.  She has folded thousands of linens, made hundreds of cups of coffee, organized donations for the kitchen and pantry, sorted toiletries and gets other volunteers enthusiastic to join her in improving areas of the house. She glows with a level of kindness and joy that guests notice. Everyone….guests, staff and volunteers alike, look for Pam each day.  When she travels, we notice immediately because things don’t run as smoothly without her.

Pam's past life included helping in her family’s bakery so when we receive an abundance of fresh food donations, she transforms them into heartwarming meals for guests and staff. She recently took 100+ donated apples, hand peeled each one, and cooked them… creating hundreds of servings of applesauce for guests.  She also takes donated cake mixes home, and bakes sweet treats that serve as more than just desserts—they are expressions of care and a boost in spirits for the guests. She even extends that hospitality to staff by recognizing the housekeepers by making them birthday cakes out of her own resources.

During medical challenges and a global pandemic, Pam's radiant spirit and compassionate nature shine as beacons of hope, bringing warmth and comfort to the guests at SECU Family House. Volunteering has become more than a task for Pam; it is a calling, a way to extend her kindness and make a lasting impact on the lives of those navigating difficult times. She completely embodies the mission of SECU Family House, and we are thrilled that she is ours.