Nellia Underwood is 2020 Senior of the Year

Shayne Lopez • February 18, 2021

The Athens County Foundation and the Athens Jaycees Senior Fund Advisory Board award the 2020 Senior of the Year award to Nellia Underwood for her volunteerism and commitment to service to the Athens County Community!

Nellia, an Athens resident of Malaysian-Filipino descent, has been living in the area for 27 years. During her time in Athens, she worked doing various types of jobs — from quilting, to sewing at a car manufacturing plant, to doing administrative work for businesses.

Volunteering is not new to Nellia. She and her late husband, David Underwood, were active volunteers of the American Red Cross in Athens. Upon David’s passing in 2015, she decided to continue volunteering in the community to help in every little way that she could. For the past five years, she volunteered with the Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of Athens and Hocking County at the Corporation of Ohio Appalachian Development Inc. (COAD). In the RSVP office, she works the front desk, maintains files, and enters data. Nellia also serves on the RSVP advisory board and the annual senior recognition luncheon and program. But her dedication to Athens County extends beyond RSVP, and this has made a difference in Athens County for many people.

Nellia was one of the primary coordinators of the “Summer Feed” program in Amesville for children. She works with the Athens County Red Cross to coordinate the distribution of supplies through RSVP. Nellia also was instrumental in taking photos for the Senior Companion and Foster Grandparent programs. And at the start of the pandemic, she made masks and distributed them to those who needed them in Athens County.

“Nellia is a very engaged and committed volunteer with RSVP. She pitches in on projects when asked, and she takes initiative to start new projects, too,” shared Mary Abel, RSVP Advisory Board member.

Her work also extends outside of Athens County. Nellia convenes the Filipino Community where she brings together Filipinos from Athens and other neighboring communities for various events such as the Annual International Street Fair at Ohio University, and their annual Christmas get-together. In 2013, Nellia and the rest of the Filipino community raised funds to help the survivors of Super Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.

The Athens County Foundation and the Athens Jaycees Senior Fund will donate a $500 grant to Nellia’s chosen cause, COAD’s Retired Senior Volunteer Program.

The Athens Jaycees Senior Fund through the Athens County Foundation awards the Senior of the Year annually to a senior (65 or older) who has provided key leadership in our community, especially related to issues affecting the quality of life of seniors or in the area of philanthropy.

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