The search is on for North Carolina’s outstanding senior volunteer.

The Salute to Senior Service program honors the contributions of adults 65 and older who give at least 15 hours a month of volunteer service to their favorite causes.

Nominations for outstanding senior volunteers will be accepted between Feb. 1 and March 31. State winners then will be selected by popular vote at SalutetoSeniorService.com. Online voting will take place from April 15 to April 30. From those state winners, a panel of senior care experts will pick the national Salute to Senior Service honoree.

Home Instead Inc. will donate $500 to each of the state winners’ favorite nonprofit organizations and their stories will be posted on the Salute to Senior Service Wall of Fame. In addition, $5,000 will be donated to the national winner’s nonprofit charity of choice.

“We all know seniors who do so much for our community,” said Steven Coleman, owner of the Home Instead Senior Care office serving Buncombe, Henderson, Transylvania, Polk  and Haywood Counties. “These silent heroes give selflessly, expecting nothing in return. And yet, their contributions often make a difference not only to the organizations they serve, but in changing how the public views growing older.”

Senior care professionals and those who work at hospitals, senior care facilities and other places where seniors volunteer are encouraged to nominate older adults. So, too, are family caregivers and the adult children of aging parents. Older adults also may self-nominate.

To complete and submit a nomination form online for a senior age 65 or older who volunteers at least 15 hours a month, and to view the contest’s official rules, visit SalutetoSeniorService.com. Completed nomination forms also can be mailed to Salute to Senior Service, P.O. Box 285, Bellevue, N.E. 68005.

For more information about Salute to Senior Service or the Home Instead Senior Care network’s services, call 828-274-4406.

– article submitted by Sally Stalnaker