Bobbi Lornson, past president of the Oak Harbor Lions Club president and volunteer, was recently recognized for her contributions to the community.

The George Washington chapter of the Washington Sons of the American Revolution presented Lornson with the bronze Good Citizenship medal last month.

“Bobbi does not just preach community service, she exemplifies it,” said John Kraft in his letter nominating Lornson.

Lornson has lived in Oak Harbor since 1981. She joined the Oak Harbor Lions Club in 2012 and recently served as its president. Her volunteerism includes organizing local toy collection drives during Christmas and leading the Memorial Day production.

She also sits on the board of directors for the Whidbey Homeless Coalition.

Krystal Hamlin, who runs The Haven emergency shelter, praised Lornson in the nomination letter.

“Bobbi is truly an inspirational person, and much of that comes from her unwavering selflessness and generosity,” Hamlin wrote.

Lornson said she was shocked when she was presented with the award. “I was so flattered, I couldn’t even talk, and they even commented that that was so rare for me.”

She is currently collecting plastic to turn into benches with the Lions. Trex, a company that turns plastic waste into deck boards, offers a program where a group can turn in 500 pounds of plastic over six months to receive a free bench.

Lornson started the effort as a way to do something to take peoples’ minds off the coronavirus, but she said it’s taken on a life of its own after the Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce and Wallin-Stucky Funeral Home partnered with her. She said she’s collected hundreds of pounds of plastic since March.

“You’d be amazed how little it weighs,” she said.

People from all over the island have gotten involved, she said.

“If you join with others to do it, there’s so much more you can achieve as opposed to doing it by yourself,” Lornson said.