Lois and Vern Breuker of St. Joseph have been named the 2021-2022 Volunteers of the Year for the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center. They have volunteered with The Mendel Center for the past six years and also volunteer with other organizations in southwest Michigan. The Breukers also travel the country in their RV when they aren’t volunteering. They were honored on July 13 at the center’s annual volunteer appreciation reception and were picked from nearly 100 candidates. Seven people were honored for 10 years of volunteer service, six for 15 years, one each for 20 and 25 years, and three people were honored for volunteering for 30 years. They were Heidi Krueger, Barbara Pence, and Dorothy Thar. Mendel Center volunteers are responsible for ensuring patron safety, ushering, patron assistance, and other assignments related to day-of-show operations. The volunteer corps assists with events including Mainstage performances, the annual Lake Michigan College commencement ceremony, Lake Michigan College Visual and Performing Arts department performances, The Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series, Blossomtime pageants, and more.
