Brookline resident receives Jane Falk Award for volunteerism from the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired

On April 17th, 2016, Brookline resident Terry Goldzier was honored with the Jane Falk Award for Distinguished Volunteer Service from the Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (MABVI). Terry has served as a one-on-one volunteer through MABVI with individuals who are visually impaired since 1989, offering her sight whenever needed.

Goldzier, who grew up in New York and moved to Massachusetts in 1985, has always been interested in helping others, having volunteered in different capacities since high school.

“I think it’s an important thing to do,” says Goldzier, “to pay it forward.”

Each year MABVI presents the Jane Falk Award for Distinguished Volunteer Service to one volunteer who has creatively and generously participated in fostering the ideals, services, and mission of the organization.

“Terry has been a dedicated and exemplary volunteer for over 25 years,” says Kyle Robidoux, MABVI’s Director of Volunteer and Support Group Services, “and she embodies the true spirit of volunteerism.” Despite her dedication and many years of offering her time to others, Goldzier took the news with characteristic humility.

“I was very surprised when Kyle called and told me I’d be receiving this award,” she said, explaining that she doesn’t consider what she does to be anything extraordinary.

“I just think people should help each other if they can,” she says.

MABVI’s Volunteer Program matches volunteers one-to-one with an individual in their local community who is visually impaired. Volunteers offer their sight to help with common tasks determined by the individual’s needs. These can include reading mail, paying bills, going on errands, or even helping with going to the gym or running.

Currently Goldzier is matched with Mary Lee Gibbons of Cambridge, who as a teenager was diagnosed with the degenerative eye disease retinitis pigmentosa. Roughly every other week, Goldzier will pick up Gibbons to go food shopping.

“Terry’s great,” says Gibbons. “She even helps me in and out of the car.”

Having been matched together for three years, the two have developed a familiar routine. Gibbons, who does her shopping without a written list, remarks that “Terry knows what I get and where it is.”

Shopping alone, Gibbons had to take MBTA’s The Ride service and then would have to wait for store employees to help her with shopping tasks. This made some things very difficult, such as buying ice cream in the summertime and not having it melt before she got home.

“Having Terry makes it easier, that’s for sure,” she says.

Goldzier received the Jane Falk Award at a Volunteer Appreciation Brunch on April 17th at the Westin Copley Place in Boston. Jane Falk was a volunteer and former President of the Board of Directors for MAB Community Services (MABVI’s parent organization). She believed strongly that individuals should seek the opportunity to give back to their communities, and that those volunteers should be recognized for their efforts. The award was established in 1983 in Jane’s memory.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer can apply at mabvi.org/volunteer or call 617-972-9119. Individuals under 18 may volunteer alongside a parent as part of MABVI’s Family Volunteer Program.