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The national winner and runner-up awards are given annually to Modern Woodmen members who have provided outstanding volunteer service in the community and excellent leadership in their local chapters throughout the past year. For her efforts, Lowanda receives a recognition award and a $250 donation to the charity of her choice, the Giving Tree Fund.

Lowanda volunteers as the leader of Modern Woodmen’s youth service club in Sesser and as secretary of the Modern Woodmen camp based in Benton. In these roles, she coordinated many volunteer projects to help the local area in 2006.

Her youth club members:

picked up trash, set up chairs and decorated the stage at the city park for Sesser’s annual homecoming event
cleaned, painted and decorated restrooms at the park
sold candy to raise more than $1,000 for the Sesser Public Library
donated a flag for Sesser’s City Hall
collected pet food and supplies for the Franklin County Humane Society
purchased school clothes and shoes for a student in need

Lowanda also led many projects for Modern Woodmen’s adult members and their families. These local camp members:

repaired restrooms at Sesser’s city park
held a sock hop and variety show fundraiser to raise nearly $6,000 for a single mom facing medical bills from breast cancer
held fellowship and family life educational events

Johnston is active in other community volunteer roles as well:

volunteer for the fire department
founder of the Giving Tree organization, which provided holiday gifts for more than 300 families in need
runs a food pantry, delivering food to those in need
volunteer reader at Sesser-Valier Elementary School
volunteer for Grace Awakening Church
volunteer for numerous city events

“She is a great person and just thrives on helping people,” says Modern Woodmen District Representative Betty Parton, who nominated Lowanda for the award. “If folks in town want something done, they call Lowanda.”