SOUTH PORTLAND – The annual Governor’s Awards for Service and Volunteerism were given out a ceremony in Augusta earlier this spring and Clarence Smith from South Portland was among those honored for his service to the community.

Smith, who volunteers at Beacon Hospice, won the Volunteer of the Year award. He is now retired and said he was “totally floored,” when notified he’d been named one of Maine’s top volunteers.

“I was not expecting anything like that, but I am extremely honored,” he added.

Since 1987, the Governor’s Awards for Service and Volunteerism have celebrated and recognized the exemplary work of Maine’s most dedicated citizens, while also seeking to inspire residents to help others in their local community.

“Citizens who serve in their communities as volunteers contribute to the strength and vitality of every Maine town and city,” the Governor’s Awards website states. “They help respond to fires and emergencies, mentor our children, provide food to neighbors in need, comfort the elderly, transport the sick and a thousand other things.”

Founded by Gov. John McKernan, the awards program is managed by the Maine Commission for Community Service. The awards are presented at the state Capitol each year during National Volunteer Week.

According to the Governor’s Awards website, the volunteer of the year honor is given to someone who “has provided significant service to his/her community through volunteerism and serves as a role model to (others).”

Smith has volunteered at Beacon Hospice since 2007. He served in the Navy from 1951 to 1955 and saw action in the Korean War. He decided to go through hospice training after realizing just how many World War II veterans die every year.

Smith uses his experiences of war to connect with his fellow veterans and often sits vigil with patients during the final hours of their lives, ensuring they are pain-free and not alone, according to the Governor’s Awards nomination application.

During his time at the hospice center, Smith has served 57 patients from all across southern Maine, averaging 230 hours per year. He’s also previously volunteered with Habitat for Humanity and Maine Medical Center and is a member of Veterans for Peace.

According to the nomination form, Smith’s reputation for compassion within the hospice community is such that patients often request his services specifically.

Smith said he enjoyed attending the award ceremony, which was hosted by First Lady Ann LePage, and meeting the other award winners. “It was a huge honor,” he added.

Clarence Smith, of South Portland, has won the Volunteer of the Year Award as part of the annual Governor’s Awards for Service and Volunteerism. Here he is pictured with Maine’s First Lady Ann LePage.Courtesy photo