April 8th will be a celebration of volunteers in Mount Ayr, as well as for the women who brings them all together.
Mount Ayr Volunteer Coordinator Angie Dodge will host her annual Volunteer Appreciation Event that day for the last time – because this year’s celebration will double as her retirement party. Angie came to EveryStep after retiring from a nearly 40-year career as an elementary school teacher. Now after more than eight years leading volunteer efforts in Mount Ayr – including dozens of veteran pinnings for servicemen and women in south central Iowa – Angie is re-retiring.
Angie will be sharing the spotlight at her retirement party with her staff of volunteers, including Mount Ayr’s volunteer of the year – Connie Sevier. Angie has no shortage of words to describe Connie means to EveryStep’s mission in Mount Ayr:
“Connie is a wonderful volunteer. She has seen many of our patients in homes and in nursing facilities. Connie will go just about any place I ask her to go. She has gone to almost all of the facilities in Creston and has gone to patient homes in Afton and Creston and nearby towns.
Connie started out her career in Med Surg at Greater Regional in Creston. Then she went to Creston Manor for 27 years and was the Director of Nursing for nine years there. She was a hospice nurse for Hospice of Central Iowa (which was our organization before the name change) for 3.5 years for the Osceola team. Then she went to Southern Hills Specialty Care for 4.5 years as Director of Nursing and finally to Visiting Nurses Service at Creston Home Care office before the name changed to EveryStep.
Connie retired in 2019 and immediately became a volunteer. Connie loves to find out about the hobbies and likes of the patient and then she brings in short stories, and pictures of those things. Lots of times if they are not feeling well or dozing off, she just sits and reads.
They love to hear the stories even when they don’t have the energy to open their eyes and respond. Often, they thank her when she leaves and will comment on the wonderful story she read to them.
Connie, thank you for being our VIP Volunteer of the Year for 2026!!!”
Thank you, Connie, for your continued service … and THANK YOU to Angie Dodge for your years of dedication to EveryStep. Enjoy your second retirement!
