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Longtime volunteer wins Arlington Hts. Kenneth Hood award

When Julie Wright started volunteering at the Arlington Heights Senior Center nearly 30 years ago she was too young to participate in the programs there.

At 81, she is still volunteering and participating, with no plans to stop anytime soon. On Friday, Wright was named the eighth recipient of the annual Kenneth Hood Senior Service Award from the Arlington Heights Senior Citizens Commission.

"I cried," Wright said of the moment she found out she won. "I was so honored, it's a big award."

Wright started volunteering for the senior community in 1986 using her training as a CPA to prepare taxes for seniors. Before the Senior Health Insurance Program existed, Wright helped senior citizens fill out their Medicare supplemental insurance forms, according to a news release about the award.

She taught herself to use computers and then started teaching seniors, something she still does at the senior center today. She also teaches the Secretary of State's Rules of the Road review course,

In 1996 she served on the senior center design committee and in 1999 she became a member of the Arlington Heights Senior Center board of directors.

She has also volunteered at local schools and the Arlington Heights Memorial Library for decades.

"I have the volunteer gene," Wright said. "It's the only way I live. I just love doing for other people." Wright has lived in Arlington Heights since 1946 with her husband, Don, who nominated her for the award. They now live at Luther Village, where she is on the library committee, the board of directors, the 25th anniversary celebration committee and the butterfly garden construction committee. "I will probably keep volunteering until I die," Wright said. "I really enjoy people."

Wright will be formally presented with the award during a village board meeting in September.

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